A federal judge has denied Tesla’s request to overturn a $243 million jury verdict that found the automaker partially responsible for a fatal 2019 crash in Florida involving its Autopilot driver assistance system.
Court Ruling And Reasoning
U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom wrote that Tesla’s motion relied on arguments the company had already made and lost. “The grounds for relief that Tesla relies upon are virtually the same as those Tesla put forth previously during the course of trial and in their briefings on summary judgment — arguments that were already considered and rejected,” the decision said. The ruling added that Tesla did not present new arguments or controlling law that would persuade the court to change its earlier decisions or the jury’s verdict.
The Verdict And How Fault Was Assigned
The jury issued the $243 million verdict last August over a crash that killed Naibel Benavides and critically injured Dillon Angulo. Jurors assigned two-thirds of the blame to the driver and one-third to Tesla. The jury also assessed punitive damages only against Tesla.
The case centered on Tesla’s Autopilot system and the role it played in the crash. The verdict held the company partially liable alongside the driver.
Tesla’s Request To Reverse The Outcome
In asking the court to reverse the ruling, Tesla’s lawyers argued that responsibility for the crash rested with the driver, who they said helped cause the collision. The judge rejected that position in the latest decision, citing the earlier rulings and the jury’s findings.
Featured image credits: creativecommons.org
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