Overview
- A federal jury in Arizona found Uber liable and awarded $8.5 million to plaintiff Jaylynn Dean over a November 2023 assault during a Tempe ride.
- Jurors determined liability on one of three claims after nearly three days of deliberations.
- Plaintiff evidence included internal records alleging delayed safety steps such as in‑car cameras and data showing the trip was flagged as “elevated risk” minutes before boarding.
- Uber said it will appeal, stressing drivers are independent contractors and noting the jury did not deem the company negligent or its safety systems defective.
- The decision is reported as a first-of-its-kind U.S. jury finding for an assault during a booked ride and could affect thousands of suits, as Uber cites a decline in reported incidents from 5,981 (2017–18) to 2,717 (2021–22).