Earlier this month, a jury determined that Tesla was partially liable for the death of 22-year-old Naibel Benavides, who died after being struck by a Model S driven by another individual. The jury awarded $243 million in compensatory and punitive damages to the victims’ families, marking a significant legal outcome for Tesla, which has faced scrutiny over its partially autonomous driving technology.
Tesla’s legal representatives stated that the driver of the Model S should bear full responsibility for the crash. The company is seeking either to overturn the jury’s verdict or to initiate a new trial. They argued that the judgment contradicts basic Florida tort law and the Due Process Clause, referencing that the driver had reportedly overridden the Autopilot system just before the incident.
The defense also challenged the decision to allow statements from Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk to be presented as evidence, suggesting that Musk’s assertions about the vehicle’s autonomy could mislead the jury. Furthermore, the lawyers contended that allegations claiming Tesla had hidden critical camera data in the investigation of the crash were false and improperly biased the jury.
This motion was submitted by the law firm Gibson Dunn, which previously represented Tesla in other legal matters, including cases involving allegations of trade secret theft.
In response, a spokesperson for the plaintiffs’ legal team emphasized their belief that the jury had accurately assessed the situation as one of shared responsibility. They maintained that the Autopilot’s capabilities and Tesla’s representations played a significant role in the tragic event. The statement expressed confidence that the court would uphold the verdict.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/768068/tesla-wrongful-death-verdict-court-toss