Jury Orders Uber to Pay $8.5M in Rider Rape Case

A federal jury in Arizona has ordered Uber to pay $8.5 million to a woman who said she was raped by her Uber driver during a ride.

The case was filed by Jaylynn Dean, who sued Uber in 2023. She said the assault happened in November 2021. Dean argued that Uber failed to protect riders, even though the company promotes its service as providing “safe rides.”

On Thursday, the jury ruled that Uber was legally responsible because the driver was acting as an “apparent agent” of the company at the time of the incident.

However, the jury did not agree with all claims. It did not find Uber negligent, and it also rejected arguments that Uber’s app design was defective. The jury also refused to award punitive damages.

Dean’s lawyers had asked for $144 million, but the jury awarded $8.5 million, which is still seen as a major victory for plaintiffs.

Dean’s lawyer, Rachel Abrams, said the verdict could signal what may happen in future cases.

Why This Verdict Matters

This case is the first federal “bellwether” trial, which means it is a test case for thousands of similar lawsuits.

Dean’s case is part of around 3,000 similar lawsuits grouped together in federal court. Legal experts say bellwether trials do not directly decide other cases, but they strongly influence future trials and settlement talks.

This was not Uber’s first bellwether case overall. A separate trial in California state court ended differently, where a jury found Uber was not liable.

Billions Could Be at Risk

Even though bellwether verdicts are not binding for all cases, the financial risk for Uber is very large.

If other juries rule the same way as the Arizona jury, Uber could face tens of billions of dollars in damages.

Uber, valued at more than $150 billion, has said it plans to appeal the verdict.

In a statement, Uber highlighted that the jury rejected claims of negligence and defective safety systems. The company said the verdict supports its position that Uber acted responsibly.

More Trials Still Ahead

Along with the federal cases, around 500 more cases are consolidated in California state court.

One of those state cases has already gone to trial, and Uber was not held liable.

With mixed results so far — one federal verdict against Uber and one state verdict in Uber’s favor — experts say a major settlement may not happen soon.

Uber’s Safety Measures and Ongoing Concerns

Uber has introduced multiple safety tools over the years, including:

• Sharing trip details with trusted contacts

• Annual driver background checks

• In-app audio recording option

• Women riders can request women drivers (launched last year)

However, concerns about rider safety continue.

In September, members of the US House sent a letter to Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, asking for a briefing on how the company prevents and handles sexual assault cases involving drivers.

Uber said it welcomed the opportunity to explain its policies.

Lyft, Uber’s biggest competitor, has also faced similar lawsuits and has promoted its own safety features.