A Miami jury found Tesla’s Autopilot system defective and awarded $243 million in damages in a high-profile lawsuit stemming from a 2019 crash in the Florida Keys that killed 22-year-old Naibel Benavides Leon and seriously injured her boyfriend, Dillon Angulo.
The jury determined that Tesla was 33% at fault for allowing Autopilot use on roads it wasn’t designed for and failing to adequately monitor driver attention. Driver George Brian McGee — who was speeding, distracted by a dropped phone, and overriding Autopilot with the accelerator — was found 67% at fault. He had previously settled with the victims and was cited for careless driving.
The jury awarded $59 million to Benavides’ parents, $70 million to Angulo, and $200 million in punitive damages against Tesla.
The plaintiffs argued that Tesla and CEO Elon Musk overhyped Autopilot’s capabilities while ignoring its limitations, turning public roads into unsafe testing grounds. Tesla denied liability, claimed McGee was solely responsible, and plans to appeal the verdict.
The victims were represented by Brett Schreiber, Satyasrinivas M. Hanumadass, and Carmela S. Birnbaum of Singleton Schreiber LLP, along with attorneys from several other firms.
The case is Benavides v. Tesla Inc., case number 1:21-cv-21940, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
