Home / Crime and Justice / Uber Ordered to Pay $8.5M in Rape Lawsuit
Uber Ordered to Pay $8.5M in Rape Lawsuit
7 Feb
Summary
- Uber must pay $8.5m after a jury found it responsible for a driver's assault.
- The lawsuit was filed by a woman who claimed she was raped by an Uber driver.
- This verdict could impact thousands of other similar legal cases against Uber.
A federal jury in Arizona has ordered Uber to pay $8.5 million to a woman who alleged she was raped by a driver in 2023. The jury determined that Uber was responsible for the driver's actions under the apparent agency doctrine, though they dismissed claims of negligence and defective safety systems.
Jaylynn Dean, the plaintiff, stated she was assaulted while en route to her hotel. Her legal team argued that Uber was aware of numerous assaults by its drivers but failed to implement adequate safety measures. This verdict is one of the first in a series of 'bellwether' cases, expected to influence approximately 2,500 other federal lawsuits against the company.
Uber has announced its intention to appeal the decision. The company argued that drivers are independent contractors and that the incident was unforeseeable, citing the driver's good ratings and lack of criminal record. A spokesperson for Uber stated the verdict confirms the company acted responsibly and has invested significantly in rider safety.
