<p>In a landmark ruling, a <strong>Miami federal jury</strong> has found <strong>Tesla partially liable</strong> in a 2019 crash involving its Autopilot driver‑assistance system that left one person dead and another severely injured <a alt="https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/tesla-ordered-by-florida-jury-pay-329-million-autopilot-crash-2025-08-01/?utm_source=chatgpt.com" href="https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/tesla-ordered-by-florida-jury-pay-329-million-autopilot-crash-2025-08-01/?utm_source=chatgpt.com" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Reddit+15Reuters+15TT News+15</a><a alt="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/01/tesla-must-pay-329-million-in-damages-in-fatal-autopilot-case.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/01/tesla-must-pay-329-million-in-damages-in-fatal-autopilot-case.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com" rel="noopener" target="_blank">TT News+8CNBC+8Investors+8</a><a alt="https://qz.com/tesla-liable-autopilot-case-2019-florida-329-million?utm_source=chatgpt.com" href="https://qz.com/tesla-liable-autopilot-case-2019-florida-329-million?utm_source=chatgpt.com" rel="noopener" target="_blank">The Daily Beast+2Quartz+2The Times of India+2</a>. The decision marks the first time Tesla has lost a fatal Autopilot case at trial.</p>

<h4><strong>Crash Background</strong></h4>

<p>On <strong>April 25, 2019</strong>, George McGee was driving a 2019 Tesla Model S at around <strong>62 mph</strong> near <strong>Key Largo, Florida</strong>. While using Enhanced Autopilot, he glanced down to pick up a dropped cellphone. Believing the system would brake for obstacles, McGee drove through a stop sign and collided with a parked Chevrolet Tahoe. <strong>22‑year‑old Naibel Benavides Leon</strong> was killed; her boyfriend, <strong>Dillon Angulo</strong>, suffered traumatic brain injury and multiple fractures <a alt="https://qz.com/tesla-liable-autopilot-case-2019-florida-329-million?utm_source=chatgpt.com" href="https://qz.com/tesla-liable-autopilot-case-2019-florida-329-million?utm_source=chatgpt.com" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Quartz</a><a alt="https://ktvz.com/money/cnn-business-consumer/2025/08/01/tesla-ordered-by-florida-jury-to-pay-329-million-in-autopilot-crash/?utm_source=chatgpt.com" href="https://ktvz.com/money/cnn-business-consumer/2025/08/01/tesla-ordered-by-florida-jury-to-pay-329-million-in-autopilot-crash/?utm_source=chatgpt.com" rel="noopener" target="_blank">https://www.13abc.com+14KTVZ+14WRAL.com+14</a>.</p>

<h4><strong>Liability and Damages Awarded</strong></h4>

<p>The jury allocated <strong>33% responsibility</strong> to Tesla for the crash <a alt="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/01/tesla-must-pay-329-million-in-damages-in-fatal-autopilot-case.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/01/tesla-must-pay-329-million-in-damages-in-fatal-autopilot-case.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com" rel="noopener" target="_blank">CNBC</a>. The total damages awarded were <strong>$329 million</strong>, comprised of <strong>$129 million</strong> in compensatory damages and <strong>$200 million</strong> in punitive damages <a alt="https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/tesla-ordered-by-florida-jury-pay-329-million-autopilot-crash-2025-08-01/?utm_source=chatgpt.com" href="https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/tesla-ordered-by-florida-jury-pay-329-million-autopilot-crash-2025-08-01/?utm_source=chatgpt.com" rel="noopener" target="_blank">The Times of India+15Reuters+15Business Insider+15</a>. Based on Tesla&rsquo;s share and the damages cap, the company is expected to pay approximately <strong>$242.5 million</strong>&mdash;including all punitive damages and its portion of the compensatory award <a alt="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/01/tesla-must-pay-329-million-in-damages-in-fatal-autopilot-case.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/01/tesla-must-pay-329-million-in-damages-in-fatal-autopilot-case.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com" rel="noopener" target="_blank">https://www.newschannel10.com+6CNBC+6Investors+6</a>.</p>

<h4><strong>Plaintiffs&rsquo; Allegations and Evidence</strong></h4>

<p>Attorneys for the plaintiffs argued that <strong>Tesla&rsquo;s Autopilot was used on roads it wasn&rsquo;t designed for</strong>, and that the company <strong>misled consumers</strong> about its safety. They also accused Tesla of initially withholding critical pre-crash data and video, which was later retrieved by forensic experts <a alt="https://qz.com/tesla-liable-autopilot-case-2019-florida-329-million?utm_source=chatgpt.com" href="https://qz.com/tesla-liable-autopilot-case-2019-florida-329-million?utm_source=chatgpt.com" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Reddit+5Quartz+5The Daily Beast+5</a>.</p>

<h4><strong>Tesla&rsquo;s Response</strong></h4>

<p>Tesla has strongly disagreed with the verdict, calling it &ldquo;wrong&rdquo; and saying it undermines <strong>automotive safety innovation</strong> across the industry. The company maintains that <strong>driver error alone</strong> caused the crash and says <strong>no vehicle in 2019&mdash;or today&mdash;could have prevented it</strong>. Tesla says it intends to appeal the decision based on alleged legal errors in the trial process <a alt="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/01/tesla-must-pay-329-million-in-damages-in-fatal-autopilot-case.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/01/tesla-must-pay-329-million-in-damages-in-fatal-autopilot-case.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com" rel="noopener" target="_blank">CNBC+1WXYZ 7 News Detroit+1</a>.</p>

<h4><strong>Wider Implications</strong></h4>

<p>Legal and safety analysts believe this verdict could <strong>open the floodgates to more trials and larger settlements</strong> involving Autopilot&mdash;and other driver-assistance systems&mdash;by setting a precedent that manufacturers can be held liable for misuse beyond conventional limits <a alt="https://www.13abc.com/2025/08/01/jury-orders-tesla-pay-more-than-240-million-damages-after-fatal-autopilot-crash/?utm_source=chatgpt.com" href="https://www.13abc.com/2025/08/01/jury-orders-tesla-pay-more-than-240-million-damages-after-fatal-autopilot-crash/?utm_source=chatgpt.com" rel="noopener" target="_blank">https://www.13abc.com</a><a alt="https://www.kktv.com/2025/08/01/jury-orders-tesla-pay-more-than-240-million-damages-after-fatal-autopilot-crash/?utm_source=chatgpt.com" href="https://www.kktv.com/2025/08/01/jury-orders-tesla-pay-more-than-240-million-damages-after-fatal-autopilot-crash/?utm_source=chatgpt.com" rel="noopener" target="_blank">https://www.kktv.com</a><a alt="https://qz.com/tesla-liable-autopilot-case-2019-florida-329-million?utm_source=chatgpt.com" href="https://qz.com/tesla-liable-autopilot-case-2019-florida-329-million?utm_source=chatgpt.com" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Quartz</a><a alt="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-federal-trial-verdict-deadly-autopilot-crash-florida-2025-8?utm_source=chatgpt.com" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-federal-trial-verdict-deadly-autopilot-crash-florida-2025-8?utm_source=chatgpt.com" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Business Insider</a>. The case also coincides with <strong>increasing regulatory scrutiny</strong>, including investigations by the <strong>NHTSA</strong> and ongoing policy debates over reporting requirements for crashes involving advanced driver-assist systems <a alt="https://www.reddit.com/r/musked/comments/1jf7751?utm_source=chatgpt.com" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/musked/comments/1jf7751?utm_source=chatgpt.com" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Reddit</a>.</p>

<h4><strong>Market Reaction</strong></h4>

<p>Following the verdict, <strong>Tesla&rsquo;s stock dropped by approximately 1.8%</strong>, contributing to a weekly decline of around 4.25%. Concerns about Tesla&rsquo;s safety record and the future of its <strong>robotaxi service rollout</strong> appear to be weighing on investor sentiment <a alt="https://www.investors.com/news/tesla-stock-falls-ev-giant-liable-autopilot-trial-robotaxi/?utm_source=chatgpt.com" href="https://www.investors.com/news/tesla-stock-falls-ev-giant-liable-autopilot-trial-robotaxi/?utm_source=chatgpt.com" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Investors</a>.</p>