Uber Ordered to Pay $40 Million in Wrongful Death Lawsuit — Update

By Connor Hart

Uber has been ordered to pay $40 million to the parents of a 23-year-old woman who was hit and killed by another car on the freeway, after her Uber driver allegedly pulled over and ordered her and her friend to get out of the vehicle.

A California judge rejected Uber's argument that it only provides a software platform to connect riders with independent drivers, holding instead that Uber functions as a common carrier with a non-delegable duty to protect its passengers, according to a release from law firm Panish, Shea and Ravipudi.

Uber said it believes the arbitrator was wrong in holding the company legally responsible for the event.

"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," the company said.

The ruling came after a five-day arbitration process and hearing, which arose from the death of Emily Normandin-Parker in August 2023.

Normandin-Parker--a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles--called an Uber for a ride home following a night out with a friend, according to Panish, Shea and Ravipudi. After Normandin-Parker's friend became sick, the pair's Uber driver, Vu Tran, reportedly pulled over on the freeway and ordered the two women to get out of the vehicle.

Uber rejected the claim, saying that Tran testified that the riders requested that he pull over.

Normandin-Parker, who was intoxicated, was then left alongside multiple lanes of freeway traffic, where she was struck by several vehicles and killed, according to Panish, Shea and Ravipudi.

Tran, the Uber driver, allegedly left the scene and shortly afterward requested that Uber charge Normandin-Parker's account a cleaning fee. Prior to the incident, Uber had received multiple complaints about Tran, the law firm said.

Uber said Tran had completed nearly 6,000 trips without a single incident of an unsafe drop-off, freeway stop or rider injury. The company added that he no longer has access to Uber.

Rahul Ravipudi, a partner at the law firm, said in a statement that the ruling is about accountability, "not only for Emily and her family, but for every passenger who trusts Uber to get them home safely."

Write to Connor Hart at connor.hart@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

September 18, 2026 09:14 ET (13:14 GMT)