Arbitrator Orders Uber to Pay $40 Million in California Passenger Death

An arbitrator has found Uber and one of its drivers jointly liable for the death of a 23-year-old passenger who was struck by traffic after being dropped off beside a Southern California highway, awarding her parents $40 million.

The decision, dated July and released this week by the family's attorneys, directs the company and driver Vu Tran to pay $20 million to each of Normandin-Parker's parents, Carol Normandin and Ken Parker.

Emily Normandin-Parker was killed on the night of a 2023 outing, after she booked an Uber to take her and a friend home. When the friend became ill and vomited, Tran pulled over on the shoulder of Route 73 in Orange County. All three exited the vehicle, and Normandin-Parker was then hit by passing traffic.

In the arbitration ruling, retired judge Richard Stone wrote that Tran had stopped in a gore point — the wedge of pavement between a highway ramp and the main road — and then argued with Normandin-Parker's friend outside the car. Neither Tran nor the friend saw the impact, Stone noted, adding that no witness gave entirely credible testimony about the moments before the collision.

Stone concluded that Tran had needlessly endangered the group by stopping illegally when a safer location was available, and that he then left the two young women, whom he knew to be intoxicated, at the roadside. GPS records cited in the ruling show Tran drove to the next exit and contacted Uber about a cleaning fee.

Uber had argued during the proceedings that it operates only as a technology platform linking riders with independent third-party drivers. Stone rejected that position, holding the company vicariously liable for the driver's negligence. He wrote that Uber should learn from the incident and adjust its approach to passenger safety, warning that failing to do so carried substantial risk.

Uber said it respected the arbitration process but disagreed with the outcome, maintaining that the arbitrator erred in holding the company legally responsible. The company said it has continued to invest in safety through new technology, policies and safeguards, including guidance to drivers on avoiding unsafe drop-off locations, and described its safety work as never finished.

Attorneys who represented Tran at the hearing did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The dispute went to arbitration because Uber's terms of service require riders to resolve claims through private resolution rather than court. An arbitrator's decision does not set legal precedent. California law permits ride-hailing platforms to classify drivers as independent contractors.

Normandin and Parker said they intend to use the award to press for stronger safety standards and greater transparency in the ride-hailing industry. They have established the Emily Normandin-Parker Foundation and plan to fund scholarships, mentorship programs and LGBTQ+ organizations.

Parker said he never wanted the money but hoped it would draw attention to an issue that sorely needs it. The couple remembered their daughter as a creative writer and aspiring playwright, an older sister and an advocate for others, and criticized Uber's response as an unwillingness to accept responsibility.