"A federal jury in Arizona has ordered Uber to pay $8.5 million in a lawsuit brought by a passenger who said was sexually assaulted by one of the ridesharing app's drivers. The case marks the first time that Uber has been found liable for the safety of its drivers in a sexual assault case. The plaintiff, Oklahoma resident Jaylynn Dean, sued Uber in 2023."
"Internal documents revealed during the trial also showed that the app's safety algorithm flagged Dean's ride as higher risk before it began, information that was not passed along to the passenger. After the assault, Dean contacted police and Uber, which removed the driver from the platform. 'I want to make sure it doesn't happen to other women,' Dean said during witness testimony."
A federal jury awarded $8.5 million to Jaylynn Dean after finding Uber liable for a driver who sexually assaulted her during a November ride to a Tempe hotel. Internal trial documents showed the app's safety algorithm flagged the ride as higher risk but that information was not shared with the passenger. Dean sued in 2023, and her lawyers argued Uber avoided safety measures like broader background checks and in-ride cameras to protect growth. The jury found the driver an apparent agent of Uber but did not find design defects or negligence and denied punitive damages. Uber plans to appeal.
Read at Fast Company
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