MIAMI: Tesla rejected a $60 million settlement proposal before a jury awarded $243 million against the company in a lawsuit concerning a fatal Autopilot crash.
Plaintiffs’ lawyers revealed the settlement offer in a Monday court filing as part of their request for legal fees from Tesla.
They argued that Florida law entitles them to recover legal costs incurred since May 30 when the settlement was proposed.
Tesla and its legal representative did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the matter.
The case centred on an April 2019 crash involving a Tesla Model S equipped with Autopilot driver-assistance software.
The Tesla struck a parked Chevrolet Tahoe while the victims were standing beside it on a road shoulder.
Jurors awarded $129 million in compensatory damages to the estate of Naibel Benavides Leon, who died, and her seriously injured boyfriend Dillon Angulo.
Tesla was found liable for 33% of the compensatory damages, amounting to $42.6 million, and all $200 million in punitive damages.
The driver was found responsible for the remaining 67% of compensatory damages but was not a defendant in the case.
Tesla has denied any wrongdoing and stated the verdict “only works to set back automotive safety and jeopardize Tesla’s and the entire industry’s efforts to develop and implement life-saving technology.”
The company has announced it will appeal the verdict.
This case represents the first trial involving the wrongful death of a third party resulting from Tesla’s Autopilot system.
Tesla has faced similar lawsuits regarding its self-driving capabilities, though previous cases were resolved or dismissed before reaching trial. – Reuters