Sept. 18 (UPI) — Uber was ordered to pay $40 million to the family of a California woman who was killed on a highway after being kicked out of a ride, court papers released Thursday show.
Emily Normandin-Parker, 23, hailed an Uber in August 2023 after a night out with friend Luna Moore.
The driver, Vu Tran, pulled over and kicked them out on State Route 73 after Moore threw up in the vehicle.
“He chose to pull over there and demand money and kick them out of the car,” Normandin-Parker’s mother, Carol Normandin, told Good Morning America.
“All I can think that Emily was doing — her friend, the driver arguing — was to get help,” the mother added. “They argue, Emily gets hit while they’re arguing.”
Retired California Judge Richard A. Stone, who served as arbitrator, ruled that Uber was “vicariously liable” for the driver’s actions.
“The fact that Uber uses a digital interface rather than street hails does not change the fundamental nature of the service being offered,” Stone said in court papers.
The company said the arbitrator “was wrong in holding Uber legally responsible for the tragic events of that night.”
“No family should have to suffer the loss of a child, and our thoughts continue to be with the Normandin-Parker family,” Uber spokesperson Gabriela Condarco-Quesada told the Guardian.
“We have continued to strengthen our approach to safety over the years, through new technology, policies and safeguards informed by safety experts, including additional guidance to drivers about avoiding drop-offs in unsafe locations.”
Uber was ordered to pay $20 million to each of Normandin-Parker’s parents and $300,000 to Moore.
Source: U.S. News
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