"A federal jury in Phoenix ordered Uber on Thursday to pay $8.5m after finding the company liable in a lawsuit brought by a woman who said she was sexually assaulted by a driver. The verdict could influence thousands of similar cases against the ride-hailing company. The case, brought by plaintiff Jaylynn Dean, was the first trial of more than 3,000 similar lawsuits against Uber that have been consolidated in US federal court."
"The jury found that the driver was an agent of Uber, holding the company responsible for his actions. They awarded Dean $8.5m in compensatory damages but declined to award punitive damages. Attorneys for Dean had sought more than $140m in damages. In a statement, an Uber spokesperson noted that the jury rejected Dean's other claims, that the company was negligent or that its safety systems were defective, adding that the company plans to appeal."
"Sarah London, an attorney for Dean, said the verdict validates the thousands of survivors who have come forward at great personal risk to demand accountability against Uber for its focus on profit over passenger safety. If the verdict is upheld on appeal, it will be used as precedent in other litigation against Uber, said personal injury attorney John Carpenter of Carpenter & Zuckerman, who is not involved in Uber litigation."
A federal jury in Phoenix ordered Uber to pay $8.5m after finding the company liable for a sexual assault committed by one of its drivers. The jury found the driver acted as an agent of Uber and awarded compensatory damages but declined punitive damages. The case was the first bellwether trial among more than 3,000 consolidated lawsuits and could influence valuations and settlements in similar claims. Uber said the jury rejected claims that the company was negligent or had defective safety systems and plans to appeal. Plaintiff attorneys said the verdict could serve as a benchmark and vindication for survivors.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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