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Srinivasa Reddy Kandi: Judge Upholds $243M Verdict Against Tesla in Autopilot Fatal Crash Case

February, 21, 2026-01:51

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Judge Upholds $243M Verdict Against Tesla in Autopilot Fatal Crash Case:

A federal judge has rejected Tesla’s attempt to overturn a $243 million jury verdict that found the automaker partly liable for a deadly crash involving its Autopilot system.

In her ruling, Judge Beth Bloom stated that the company’s arguments largely repeated points already raised and dismissed during trial and earlier proceedings. She noted that Tesla failed to introduce any new legal grounds or compelling evidence that would justify reversing the court’s prior decisions or the jury’s verdict.

The case stems from a 2019 crash in Florida that resulted in the death of Naibel Benavides and left Dillon Angulo critically injured. In August, a jury awarded $243 million in damages, assigning two-thirds of the responsibility to the driver and one-third to Tesla. However, punitive damages were imposed solely on the automaker.

In seeking to overturn the decision, Tesla’s legal team maintained that the driver bore full responsibility for the accident. The court ultimately disagreed, allowing the original verdict to stand.

Author: Kandi Srinivasa Reddy, Srinivasa Reddy Kandi, #KandiSrinivasaReddy, #SrinivasaReddyKandi