Uber ordered to pay $40m over death of woman ejected by driver on freeway
California judge finds company ‘vicariously liable’ for driver’s negligence in death of Emily Normandin-Parker Uber was ordered to pay $40m to the parents of a 23-year-old woman who was killed after a driver kicked her and a friend out of his car by the side of a California freeway, according to newly public arbitration documents. An arbitrator, retired Calfornia judge Richard A Stone, found that…
A California judge has ruled that ride-share giant Uber is "vicariously liable" for the actions of its driver in the death of a 23-year-old woman, Emily Normandin-Parker. The arbitrator, retired California judge Richard A. Stone, found that Uber bears responsibility for the negligence of the driver who kicked Normandin-Parker and a friend out of his car on a California freeway.
The incident occurred in August 2023 after Normandin-Parker vomited in the car during an Uber ride in Orange County. While the driver and Normandin-Parker's friend argued over a cleaning fee, Normandin-Parker exited the vehicle, wandered into oncoming traffic, and was struck and killed by another car. Uber maintains that it is merely a technology platform connecting riders with independent drivers, and thus should not be held responsible for its drivers' actions.
However, the arbitrator disagreed, asserting that Uber should be treated as a common carrier, like a taxi company, and held liable for the driver's negligence. The judge's ruling is not binding but is part of Uber's ongoing battle to distance itself from the actions of its drivers, who are classified as independent contractors rather than employees under California's Proposition 22.
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