Federal Appeals Court Sides with Tesla in 2018 Crash Case

A federal appeals court has sided with Tesla in a lawsuit stemming from the 2018 fatal crash of an 18-year-old driving a Model S at 116 mph in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The court upheld a lower-court ruling that Tesla was only 1% responsible for the crash, resulting in a $105,000 liability from a $10.5 million jury award. The lawsuit included claims about the car's battery design, but the court found that Riley died from the fire, not the impact, and excluded expert testimony suggesting design defects. The parents had previously requested a speed limiter to reduce the car's maximum speed to 85 mph, but their son later removed it. The appeal did not address the speed limiter issue, focusing instead on allegations regarding the battery cell walls and fire protection materials. Ultimately, the court ruled there was insufficient evidence to prove the battery design was defective or that it contributed to Riley's death.