Brett Schreiber, Founding Partner at Singleton Schreiber, was recently mentioned in a 60 Minutes Australia piece.
"They have been overhyping and underengineering these vehicles for a decade, all in an effort to prop up their trillion-dollar valuation."
In a high-profile lawsuit stemming from a 2019 crash in Key Largo, Florida, a Miami jury found Tesla’s Autopilot system defective and awarded a total of $243 million in damages. The crash killed 22-year-old Anabelle Benavides Leon and seriously injured her boyfriend, Dylan Angulo, after the Tesla Model S, with Autopilot engaged, ran a stop sign and collided with a parked SUV while the driver, George Brian McGee, was distracted. The jury found Tesla 33% liable for allowing Autopilot use on roads it wasn’t designed for and failing to ensure adequate driver monitoring, while McGee was found 67% at fault.
Although McGee had already settled and was cited for careless driving, the jury awarded $59 million to Benavides’ parents, $70 million to Angulo, and imposed $200 million in punitive damages against Tesla. The plaintiffs, represented by Brett Schreiber, Satyasrinivas M. Hanumadass, Carmela S. Birnbaum, and others, argued that Tesla and CEO Elon Musk exaggerated the capabilities of Autopilot, misleading drivers and creating unsafe conditions. Tesla denied liability, placing full blame on McGee, and plans to appeal the verdict.
This news piece highlights the ongoing opportunities Tesla has to provide accurate information about its Autopilot system. However, Tesla has chosen to select another population to continue beta testing their Autopilot system by using the streets of Australia.
