Uber was found liable for sexual assault in the first of 3,000 similar lawsuits

A federal jury in Phoenix has found Uber liable for the sexual assault of one of its passengers, potentially setting a precedent for more than 3,000 similar cases consolidated in US federal court. As part of the ruling, Uber was ordered to pay $8.5 million in restitution to the victim, Jaylyn Dean, who said she was raped by her Uber driver during a trip to her hotel in November 2023.

“Today’s ruling validates the thousands of survivors who came forward at great personal risk to demand accountability against Uber for focusing profit over rider safety,” Sarah London, co-counsel and attorney for the plaintiffs in the case, said in a statement. “The jury heard extensive evidence about Uber’s practices and held that Uber is responsible for the conduct of its drivers.”

According to the latest Uber news US safety reportThe company received 12,522 reports Of people who were sexually assaulted from 2017 to 2022, nearly 70 percent of the reports were against drivers. In a statement I quoted New York TimesUber spokesman Matt Kallman said Uber plans to appeal the ruling.

“This ruling confirms that Uber acted responsibly and invested meaningfully in rider safety,” Kalman said. “We will continue to put safety at the heart of everything we do.”

Dean’s case was overseen by U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer, who also manages all similar cases. Central Federal Lawsuits Against Uber. While the ruling is non-binding for other cases, such as the first, it can serve as an indicator for all court proceedings that follow.