Uber Ordered to Pay $40 Million in Wrongful Death Lawsuit

Uber has been ordered to pay $40 million to the parents of a UCLA graduate who died after the ride-share driver abandoned her on a California freeway. A judge ruled that driver Vu Tran needlessly endangered Emily Normandin-Parker and her friend when he left them on State Route 73.

“Emily did everything Uber tells riders to do—she made the responsible choice not to drive and we trusted Uber to get her home safely. That trust cost our daughter her life,” said Emily’s parents, Carol Normandin and Ken Parker.

Normandin-Parker, 23, was killed in the early hours of August 12, 2023, after a night out with a friend, Luna Moore. The pair used Uber, but Moore vomited in Tran’s car, prompting him to order them out. Normandin-Parker was struck by traffic while Moore argued with Tran about a potential cleaning fee. Tran had parked at a gore point, an area separating an exit ramp from the freeway.

Normandin and Parker accused Tran and Uber of negligence. In March, following a five-day arbitration hearing, they were awarded $20 million each. Retired Los Angeles County Judge Richard A. Stone, who presided over the hearing, criticized Tran for prioritizing his vehicle over his passengers, stating he "needlessly placed them (and himself) in danger by illegally stopping in the gore point."

Attorneys for the family argued that Tran had a history of complaints from previous passengers regarding his "reckless" driving. Tran's defense that Normandin-Parker walked into traffic was rejected by the judge.

Uber attempted to keep the arbitration award confidential, threatening the parents with a $10 million penalty if they disclosed details. "We didn’t have much time to absorb the award before Uber almost immediately started contending that it could not be made public and then sent an agreement to us requiring non-disparagement, the $10 million penalty for saying anything bad about Uber," Parker told Good Morning America.

An Uber spokesperson expressed sympathy for the family but stated the company disagrees with the arbitrator's finding of legal responsibility. "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 said. Uber also noted that it has enhanced its safety protocols and driver guidance regarding unsafe drop-off locations.

Normandin stated her belief that the company prioritized profits over her daughter’s safety. The family maintains that neither Tran nor Uber has taken responsibility for the incident, expressing a desire to prevent similar tragedies.

Normandin-Parker, a Laguna Beach native, graduated from UCLA's School of Theater, Film and Television. Her family described her as "beautiful, empathetic, brave, smart, interesting, hilarious and extraordinary" and a "bright light." She was an exceptionally talented writer with a passion for the arts. Her family established the Emily Normandin-Parker Foundation to advocate for greater rideshare safety.

Luna Moore was awarded $300,000 in the arbitration hearing.