The parents of a woman who was fatally struck after her Uber driver
pulled over along a southern California highway, have been awarded 40 million
US dollars after an arbitrator found both Uber and the driver liable
for her death.
Carol Normandin and Ken Parker say they will use the money to
advocate for strengthening safety standards and transparency in the
ride-hailing industry.
The victim's father said, "I was surprised by the legal positions they take,
which they don't disclose to the public,
mainly that they're not responsible for anything their drivers do,
and that they are going to take that position as to
any rape victim or any wrongful death victim or serious injury victim.
They're going to say that despite the fact
they advertise the way they do and present themselves
as Uber and go on college campuses,
including the UCLA campus, to tell college students to get in their cars.
That they will not take responsibility when their drivers do something bad."
On the night she was killed, Emily Normandin-Parker ordered
the Uber for her and her friend to get home after a night of drinking.
When her friend got sick and vomitted, driver Vu Tran pulled over
on the side of Route 73 and all three got out of the car before
Normandin-Parker got hit.
Uber had argued the driver is an "independent third-party
driver" and Uber is only a connecting platform
