Tesla had an opportunity to settle a 2019 fatal crash lawsuit for $60 million earlier this year, but rejected the offer, months before a jury ordered the company to pay $242.5 million, new filings reveal.
The proposed settlement, made in May, was automatically rejected after Tesla failed to respond within the 30-day window required by Florida law.
The case stems from a 2019 crash in Miami, where a Tesla Model S on Autopilot ran a red light, striking a Chevrolet Tahoe. Victims Neima Benavides Leon and Dillon Angulo were standing nearby; Leon was killed and Angulo severely injured.
A jury ruled that while the driver bore two-thirds of the blame, Tesla was responsible for one-third due to its Autopilot system’s failure to brake. The resulting verdict amounted to $242.5 million in damages.
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Tesla has stated it will appeal, citing “substantial errors of law and irregularities at trial.”
The lawsuit, filed in 2021 (case 1:21-cv-21940-BB) in the Southern District of Florida, highlights growing scrutiny of Tesla’s driver-assistance technology and the company’s legal strategy.
