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Who was Emily Normandin-Parker? Uber to pay $40 million to family of UCLA grad killed after driver left her on freeway
A California court ordered Uber to pay $40 million to Emily Normandin-Parker’s family after she was ejected from an Uber and fatally struck by a car.
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In 2023, Emily Normandin-Parker was struck by a vehicle and killed on a California freeway after her Uber driver ejected her from the car because her friend vomited in it. More than three years after the 23-year-old's death, a California court ordered Uber to pay $40 million to the family as compensation.
Retired Judge Richard A. Stone decided the settlement after five days of arbitration. Emily's parents, Carol Normandin and Ken Parker, sued Uber and the driver, identified as Vu Tran, and were each awarded $20 million.
According to Panish Shea Ravipudi LLP, the law firm representing the parents of Emily Normandin-Parker, the 23-year-old chose to take an Uber with her friend, Luna Moore, and not drive home after a night out in Costa Mesa. The driver, Vu Tran, ordered the duo to get out of the car after Moore vomited inside.
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The car was parked at a gore point that separated an exit ramp and California State Route 73. Normandin-Parker was struck by a speeding car on the freeway while Moore was arguing with Tran about a cleaning fee.
“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,” a statement from the family read.
What Uber Argued And Why It Didn't Hold
Uber Technologies, Inc. argued that its operations are restricted to being a technology provider, claiming it is not directly responsible for the death of the 23-year-old. They cited the 2020 California Proposition 2020 by which app-based drivers were classified as "independent contractors."
But Judge Stone ruled that the company functions as a common carrier and has the duty to protect its passengers safety. He argued that Uber's primary service is transportation and the company profits directly from rides. They also control key aspects of the rider's experience.
“In a fit of anger, he needlessly placed them in danger by illegally stopping in the gore point,” the judge said about the driver, Vu Tran.
Uber was implicated in the trial after evidence presented showed that the company had received multiple complaints from previous riders of Vu Tran about his "reckless" behavior. One rider had even complained that it was "the least safe drive" after riding with him.
According to Emily Normandin-Parker's legal team, Uber followed its policy by not looking properly at they complaints unless they result in death or citations.
“Uber’s promises are premised on representations of safety through training, supervision, and alleged safety tools. There was no training, no supervision, and Uber’s documents and witnesses acknowledged the ‘tools’ were designed to be ineffective. Why would Uber do such a thing? Because Uber prioritizes profits over safety," Rahul Ravipudi, one of the family's attorneys, noted.
