Tesla has secured a significant legal victory, with a Florida appeals court ruling in its favor to limit potential damages in a wrongful death lawsuit linked to its Autopilot system.
The court’s decision overturns a 2023 ruling that would have allowed a jury to impose punitive damages on the company. Instead, Tesla now faces only compensatory damages, which cover direct financial losses like medical costs and lost wages. Punitive damages, which serve to penalize severe negligence or misconduct, will not be considered.
The lawsuit stems from the 2019 death of Jeremy Banner, who was driving a Tesla Model 3 when it collided with the underside of a tractor-trailer near Miami. His estate argues that Tesla misrepresented the capabilities of its Autopilot feature, while Tesla maintains that Banner failed to heed warnings about the system’s limitations.
In its ruling, the appeals court emphasized that Tesla’s Autopilot technology met industry and regulatory standards, stating the company “cannot be liable for failing to provide technology that it did not advertise and that did not exist.”
The trial had been paused while Tesla pursued its appeal. With this ruling, the case will proceed under the new limitations on damages.
