Uber has been ordered to pay $40 million to the family of a UCLA graduate who was killed when her driver abandoned her on a freeway.
Judge Richard A. Stone ruled that driver Vu Tran “needlessly placed” Emily Normandin-Parker and her friend in danger when he left the pair on State Route 73 in California, according to Panish, Shea, Ravipudi, the law firm representing the family, on Thursday.
“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,” Emily’s parents Carol Normandin and Ken Parker said.
Normandin-Parker, 23, was killed in the early hours of August, 12 2023, following a night out with her pal, Luna Moore, in Costa Mesa.
The pair turned to the ride-sharing app, but Moore vomited in driver Tran’s car and he ordered the pair to get out.
Normandin-Parker was struck by traffic after Tran parked at a gore point that separated an exit ramp and the California State Route 73 freeway.
She was hit by a car while an apoplectic Moore argued with the driver, who wanted a cleaning fee.
Normandin and Parker accused Tran and Uber of negligence and were awarded $20 million each following a five-day arbitration hearing in March.
Stone, a retired Los Angeles County judge who presided over the hearing, scolded Tran for showing “far more worry for his new car than he did for his passengers,” according to court documents seen by The Post.
“In a fit of anger, he needlessly placed them (and himself) in danger by illegally stopping in the gore point,” Stone ruled.
Tran allegedly racked up complaints from previous passengers over his “reckless” behavior, lawyers argued. His previous riders claimed Tran “cannot drive” and that he was “the least safe” ride that one customer had experienced.
Tran tried to claim he wasn’t at fault because Normandin-Parker walked into the traffic – an argument the judge rejected.
Uber chiefs tried to keep the award confidential – threatening a $10 million penalty against the parents if they spoke out.
“We didn’t have much time to absorb the award before Uber almost immediately started contending that it could not be made public and then sent an agreement to us requiring non-disparagement, the $10 million penalty for saying anything bad about Uber,” Parker told Good Morning America Thursday.
An Uber spokesperson said its “thoughts continue to be with the Normandin-Parker family.”
“While we respect the arbitration process, we believe the arbitrator was wrong in holding Uber legally responsible for the tragic events of that night,” they added.
“We have continued to strengthen our approach to safety over the years.. Including additional guidance to drivers about avoiding drop-offs in unsafe locations.”
But Normandin said she “absolutely” believes the ride-share company put profits over her daughter’s safety.
The family doesn’t believe Uber is showing accountability for what happened.
“The reason we’re talking is because he [Tran] didn’t take responsibility and neither did Uber,” Parker said. “They’re still not taking responsibility. We do not want this to ever happen to another mother or father.”
Tributes were paid to Laguna Beach native Normandin-Parker, who graduated from the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television with a major in theater, following her death.
“Emily was anything but ordinary,” her family said in an obituary.
“She was beautiful, empathetic, brave, smart, interesting, hilarious and extraordinary. She was a bright light, our Emily, and her life had just begun.
“Emily was an exceptionally talented writer and lover of all of the arts.
“She loved being with family, writing, drag shows, books, the ocean, animals, driving, concerts, music festivals, plays, musicals, movies, painting, drawing, the outdoors, baking with her dad and gardening with her mom.”
Her family created the Emily Normandin-Parker Foundation in her honor, which calls for greater rideshare safety.
Meanwhile, Moore was awarded $300,000 following the arbitration hearing.
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