Uber arbitration award over Emily Normandin-Parker's death
3 hours ago
- Emily Normandin-Parker, 23, was struck and killed after Uber driver Vu Tran left her and a friend at a dangerous gore point on a California freeway following an argument over a cleaning fee.
- Retired judge Richard A. Stone ordered Uber and Tran to pay $40 million to her parents ($20 million each) in a July 2026 arbitration award, finding Uber vicariously liable as a common carrier.
- The arbitrator rejected Uber's argument that it is merely a technology company and that Proposition 22 immunized it from liability for its driver's actions.
- Uber contended that Tran was an independent contractor and that the incident resulted from the passengers' extreme intoxication, but the arbitrator found Tran's testimony largely incredible.
- The arbitrator criticized Uber's safety practices and expressed hope the company would change its policies, warning of substantial risk if it failed to do so.
- The parents rejected a proposed settlement from Uber that included a non-disparagement clause with a $10 million penalty for speaking negatively about the company.
- The article details Uber's arbitration terms, including mandatory binding arbitration and the process for selecting an arbitrator under California law.