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Tesla To Pay $42 Million For 2017 Crash Injuries To Motorcyclist

By Nithya Bose in Business News, posted March 20, 2024

An Indiana jury has determined Tesla and its employee, Kyle Kaszuba, share responsibility for a 2017 collision involving a Tesla-owned Ford truck and a motorcycle.

The incident happened when Kaszuba drove the Ford truck across traffic lanes and collided with motorcyclist Christopher Dugan.

It resulted in severe injuries for Dugan, including a partial amputation, permanent disfigurement, and a traumatic brain injury.

As a result, Tesla and Kaszuba are ordered to compensate Dugan more than $42 million in damages.

The jury's verdict acknowledged Dugan's 30 percent liability in the accident, reducing the compensation from an initial $60 million to the final $42 million figure.

Dugan's legal team had originally sought damages amounting to $191 million.

The collision happened as Kaszuba, operating the 2014 Ford vehicle associated with Tesla, attempted a turn into a parking lot, moving carelessly across two lanes and hitting Dugan's motorcycle.

The crash was described in Dugan's lawsuit as a consequence of negligence by both Tesla and Kaszuba.

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During the trial, Tesla's defense, represented by attorneys from Quinn Emanuel, contended that Kaszuba's driving was not negligent.

They suggested that Dugan's proximity to another vehicle obscured Kaszuba's view.

Dugan's attorney, Nick Rowley, argued that Kaszuba was hurrying to work at the time of the incident.

The accident site was near an Indianapolis gas station, just off an entrance ramp to I-465, a major highway encircling the city.

Following the jury's decision, Tesla has yet to respond to inquiries regarding the verdict.

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