The family of 23‑year‑old Emily Normandin‑Parker was awarded $40 million in arbitration after an Uber driver abandoned her and a friend at an unsafe gore point on State Route 73; Emily was later struck and killed. Retired Judge Richard A. Stone found the driver at fault and ruled Uber vicariously liable, rejecting the company’s defense that Proposition 22 bars liability. Each parent will receive $20 million; the friend received $300,000. The family plans to use the award to fund a foundation focused on ride‑hailing safety.
Arbitrator Orders Uber To Pay $40M After Driver Abandoned 23‑Year‑Old At Unsafe Freeway Gore Point
Courtesy Panish Shea Ravipudi LLP - PHOTO: Emily Normandin-Parker is seen in this photo.
The parents of 23‑year‑old Emily Normandin‑Parker say they will use a $40 million arbitration award to press for safer ride‑hailing practices after an Uber driver left their daughter on a Southern California freeway and she was fatally struck.
What happened: According to the arbitrator’s written decision, Normandin‑Parker, a 2022 UCLA graduate, was riding home with a friend, Luna Moore, after a night out when Moore became ill. The driver, Vu Tran, pulled over on State Route 73 at the gore point — the triangular separation near the off‑ramp — and, after a dispute over a cleaning fee, demanded payment and forced the women from the vehicle.
Retired Judge Richard A. Stone, who served as the arbitrator, found that Tran knew the passengers were intoxicated and that stopping at the gore point was an "unsafe and illegal" choice. Stone concluded Tran could instead have taken the nearby MacArthur Boulevard exit and stopped at a safer location. While the women were near the vehicle, Normandin‑Parker entered the freeway and was struck and killed.
Evidence submitted in arbitration included GPS data showing Tran drove past the location of Normandin‑Parker’s body before taking the next exit and then contacting Uber to request payment for a cleaning fee. Stone described Tran’s testimony as "largely — in fact, almost entirely — incredible and unbelievable," and said the driver showed "far more worry for his new car than he did for his passengers."
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Liability and award: After a five‑day arbitration hearing, Stone found Uber and Tran jointly and severally liable and awarded $20 million to each parent (totaling $40 million). Moore received a separate award of $300,000. The arbitrator did not award punitive damages.
Stone also held Uber vicariously liable for Tran’s negligence as a common carrier, rejecting the company’s argument that it is merely a technology platform. He further dismissed Uber’s claim that California’s Proposition 22 shields the company from liability in this case.
Background concerns and company response: Attorneys for the family presented prior complaints about Tran’s driving — including reports of erratic driving and near misses — and at least two riders describing rides with him as unsafe. The family says Uber moved quickly to contest public release of the arbitration award and proposed an agreement containing a non‑disparagement clause and a $10 million penalty for speaking negatively about the company.
In a statement, an Uber spokesperson expressed sympathy for the family's loss, said the company respected the arbitration process, but disagreed with the arbitrator’s finding of legal responsibility. Uber added that it has continued to strengthen safety measures, including guidance for drivers to avoid unsafe drop‑offs.
“Absolutely,” Carol Normandin said when asked whether Uber put profits ahead of passenger safety. “Her laugh was contagious. And she was funny. And she could sing — oh my god, could she sing.”
Next steps: Normandin and Parker established the Emily Normandin‑Parker Foundation to advocate for ride‑hailing safety and corporate accountability; they plan to use proceeds from the arbitration award to fund the foundation.
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