Rideshare giant Uber and one of its drivers have been ordered by an arbitrator to pay $40 million in damages to the parents of a 23-year-old woman, Emily Normandin-Parker, who was struck and killed by traffic after the cab driver kicked her and her friend out of the cab on a California freeway. The ruling, issued by retired California judge Richard A Stone acting as arbitrator, awarded $20 million each to the parents of Emily Normandin-Parker — Carol Normandin and Ken Parker — holding Uber and driver Vu Tran jointly and severally liable. An additional $300,000 was awarded to Normandin-Parker’s friend, Luna Moore.
The 2023 incident
The incident occurred on August 12, 2023, when Normandin-Parker was travelling home with Moore after a night out. During the ride, Moore became sick inside the vehicle. The driver, Vu Tran, pulled over at a freeway “gore point”— a triangular area where lanes diverge near an exit — on State Route 73 in Orange County.According to arbitration findings, Tran argued with Moore over a cleaning fee and ordered both women out of the vehicle in an unsafe area instead of taking a nearby exit onto MacArthur Boulevard to drop them off safely.After being left beside the highway, Normandin-Parker, who was intoxicated, wandered into traffic and was fatally struck by a passing vehicle as the rideshare car drove away. Arbitrator Stone noted that the driver “showed far more worry for his new car than he did for his passengers.”
Liability and ruling
Arbitrator Stone rejected the driver’s argument that Normandin-Parker’s entry into traffic lanes relieved him of responsibility. He also held Uber legally responsible, ruling that the company acts as a common carrier with a non-delegable duty of care towards its passengers. GPS evidence presented during the hearing revealed that after leaving the scene, the driver passed near Normandin-Parker’s body before exiting and contacting Uber to claim the cleaning fee.Uber disputed the arbitrator’s legal findings in a public statement. “While we respect the arbitration process, we believe the arbitrator was wrong in holding Uber legally responsible for the tragic events of that night,” the company stated, adding that its thoughts remain with the family. Uber confirmed that the driver no longer has access to its platform and noted that it has updated driver guidance regarding unsafe drop-off points.Lawyers for the family stated that Uber initially offered a settlement agreement following the arbitration decision that required strict confidentiality, backed by a $10 million penalty for each breach. The family rejected the offer.“We turned it down because we would never accept that kind of condition. The case was never about money in the first place,” said Ken Parker. The family has established the Emily Normandin-Parker Foundation to advocate for stronger safety protections for rideshare passengers.
