U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom in Miami rejected Tesla's attempt to overturn a $243 million jury verdict. The judge stated that trial evidence supported the jury's August 2025 decision.
The litigation followed a 2019 collision in Key Largo, Florida, where a Model S on Autopilot ran a stop sign. The crash killed one individual and severely injured another.
A jury found Tesla 33% responsible for the fatal incident. The verdict includes $43 million in compensatory damages. The jury assessed an additional $200 million in punitive damages exclusively against the automaker.
Tesla had previously declined a $60 million settlement offer. The company is expected to appeal the decision to the Eleventh Circuit.