Tesla ordered to pay $200 million in punitive damages over fatal crash

[ad_1] Tesla was discovered partly liable in a wrongful demise case involving the electrical automobile firm's Autopilot system, with a jury awarding the plaintiffs $200 million in punitive damages plus further cash in compensatory damages.

The case, which took place in a Miami courtroom during the last a number of weeks, centered on whether or not defects in Tesla's self-driving know-how in the end contributed to the demise of 22-year-old Naibel Benavides Leon in 2019.

Together with the $200 million in punitive damages, Tesla was additionally ordered to pay $129 million in compensatory damages. Of that latter quantity, $43 million will go to the plaintiffs.

Leon was killed when a person driving a Mannequin S Tesla geared up with Tesla's Autopilot know-how plowed by way of a T-intersection and struck her and her boyfriend Dillon Angulo.

Angulo survived however was gravely injured.

"At present's verdict represents justice for Naibel's tragic demise and Dillon's lifelong accidents, holding Tesla and Musk accountable for propping up the corporate's trillion-dollar valuation with self-driving hype on the expense of human lives," mentioned the plaintiffs' legal professional Brett Schreiber in an announcement shared with CBS Information.

The plaintiffs within the case initially requested for $345 million in damages throughout closing arguments on Thursday.

Tesla didn't instantly reply to a request for remark.

In an announcement shared with CBS Information when the case went to court docket earlier this month Tesla claimed that George McGee, the motive force of the Tesla automobile, was in the end liable for the crash, not the Tesla's self-driving know-how. "The proof clearly exhibits that this crash had nothing to do with Tesla's Autopilot know-how."

The case was a giant check for the electrical automobile maker, which has been underneath scrutiny over the security of its vehicles. Related circumstances have been introduced in opposition to Tesla, though many have been dismissed.

"This may open the floodgates," mentioned Miguel Custodio, a automobile crash lawyer not concerned within the Tesla case. "It'll embolden lots of people to return to court docket."

The Related Press contributed to this report.

Extra from CBS Information

Mary Cunningham

Mary Cunningham is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch. Earlier than becoming a member of the enterprise and finance vertical, she labored at "60 Minutes," CBSNews.com and CBS Information 24/7 as a part of the CBS Information Affiliate Program.