Uber Ordered to Pay $40 Million After Passenger Was Left on Orange County Freeway and Killed
Uber and a rideshare driver have been ordered to pay $40 million to the parents of a 23-year-old woman who was struck and killed after being left along State Route 73 in Orange County during an Uber ride.
The award followed a five-day arbitration hearing concerning the August 2023 incident. The arbitrator found Uber and the driver responsible, while Uber has publicly disputed the decision and said it believes the company should not have been held legally responsible.
DAG Law Firm, APC represents people and families in qualifying Uber and Lyft accident, serious injury, and wrongful death matters throughout California. We handle qualifying personal injury matters on a contingency fee basis, which means there are no upfront attorney fees and you do not pay attorney fees unless we win your case. Call (323) 930-2020 to discuss your situation.
What Happened During the Orange County Uber Ride?
According to ABC7 Los Angeles, the 23-year-old passenger and a friend were traveling home in an Uber after a night out when the friend became sick inside the vehicle.
The arbitration award stated that the Uber driver pulled over at a gore point along State Route 73 in Orange County—the triangular area separating freeway lanes from an exit ramp—and required the passengers to leave the vehicle.
According to the award, the passenger later entered the freeway and was struck and killed by another vehicle.
The Los Angeles Times reported that the arbitrator concluded the driver could have continued to a nearby exit and stopped at a safer location instead.
Following the five-day arbitration, the parents were awarded $20 million each. The passenger’s friend was separately awarded $300,000, according to ABC7.
Uber disagreed with the ruling.
In a statement reported by ABC7 and CBS Los Angeles, Uber said it respected the arbitration process but believed the arbitrator was wrong to hold the company legally responsible.
Why the Location of a Rideshare Drop-Off Can Matter
Rideshare safety involves more than what happens while a vehicle is moving.
Where and how a passenger is dropped off can also become important, particularly near freeways, high-speed roads, construction areas, or other potentially dangerous locations.
An investigation involving an unsafe drop-off may consider:
- Where the vehicle stopped
- Whether the location was legal and reasonably safe
- Whether a nearby safer location was available
- Traffic speed and roadway conditions
- The passenger’s condition
- Communications between the driver and passenger
- GPS and trip records
- Driver and platform policies
- App data and timestamps
The specific circumstances are critical.
A rideshare company or driver is not automatically responsible whenever someone is injured after leaving a rideshare vehicle.
Liability depends on the evidence and applicable law.
What Did the Arbitrator Decide About Uber?
ABC7 reported that the arbitrator found Uber and the driver jointly responsible and concluded that Uber could be held vicariously liable for the driver’s negligence in this particular proceeding.
The arbitrator also rejected Uber’s argument that California’s Proposition 22 prevented the company from being held responsible for the driver’s conduct in this case.
Uber disagrees with those conclusions.
That distinction is important because an arbitration award is based on the evidence and legal arguments presented in a particular dispute. It should not be interpreted to mean that Uber or another rideshare company will automatically be responsible in every accident involving one of its drivers.
Each case requires its own analysis.
Why Electronic Rideshare Records Can Be Important
One notable part of the reported evidence involved GPS information.
ABC7 reported that GPS data was used during the arbitration to evaluate the driver’s movements after the passengers were left along the freeway.
Rideshare claims can generate substantial electronic evidence, including:
- Trip receipts
- GPS information
- Pickup and destination records
- Driver app activity
- Messages through the rideshare platform
- Driver identification
- Vehicle information
- Timestamps
- Customer complaints
- Internal company records
These records can help establish what happened during an active rideshare trip and what the driver was doing at particular times.
Passengers involved in a serious incident should consider preserving screenshots and trip information before information becomes difficult to retrieve.
DAG Law Firm provides additional information about what to do after an Uber or Lyft accident in California.
Can Previous Complaints About a Rideshare Driver Matter?
Potentially.
ABC7 and the Los Angeles Times reported that evidence presented during arbitration included previous customer complaints concerning the driver’s driving behavior.
Prior complaints do not automatically establish negligence in a later incident.
Their relevance may depend on what was reported, how similar the concerns were, whether the company received notice, what actions were taken, and whether those earlier events have a meaningful connection to the later injury.
In some cases, internal records concerning complaints, safety reports, driver history, and company responses may become part of the evidence considered when evaluating potential responsibility.
What Rights Do Injured Uber and Lyft Passengers Have?
Passengers generally have little control over how a rideshare vehicle is operated or where a driver chooses to stop.
When a passenger is injured during a rideshare trip, an investigation may consider the conduct of:
- The rideshare driver
- Another motorist
- A vehicle owner
- A commercial company
- The rideshare platform
- Other potentially responsible parties
Insurance issues can also be more complicated than in an ordinary car accident because available coverage may depend on what the driver was doing through the app at the time.
Learn more about being injured as an Uber or Lyft passenger in California and how Uber and Lyft insurance may work after a California accident.
Wrongful Death Claims After a Rideshare Incident
When a rideshare-related incident results in death, certain surviving family members may potentially have rights under California wrongful death law.
Depending on the circumstances, a wrongful death claim may involve losses connected to:
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Loss of financial support
- Loss of household services
- Loss of companionship
- Loss of care, guidance, and support
Determining who may be legally responsible can be particularly complicated when the circumstances involve a rideshare driver, another motorist, multiple insurance policies, and a rideshare company.
Learn more about DAG Law Firm’s California wrongful death representation.
How Long Does Someone Have to Bring a California Rideshare Claim?
California personal injury and wrongful death matters are subject to legal deadlines, and the correct deadline depends on the particular circumstances.
A rideshare case may also involve insurance notice requirements, arbitration provisions, or other procedural issues.
Claims involving public entities can have much shorter requirements, sometimes including a government claim within six months.
Because the applicable deadlines can vary, they should be evaluated based on the specific case rather than assumed.
Read more about California Uber and Lyft accident claim deadlines.
How DAG Law Firm Can Help After a Serious Uber or Lyft Incident
Rideshare injury and wrongful death cases can involve driver conduct, electronic trip records, insurance coverage, company policies, witnesses, GPS information, and potentially multiple responsible parties.
DAG Law Firm, APC represents people and families in qualifying Uber and Lyft accident matters throughout California.
If you or someone you love has suffered a serious injury or death involving an Uber, Lyft, or other rideshare vehicle, call (323) 930-2020 to discuss the circumstances.
You do not pay attorney fees unless we win your case. DAG Law Firm handles qualifying personal injury and wrongful death matters on a contingency fee basis with no upfront attorney fees.
This article is based on publicly available reporting concerning a California arbitration award arising from an August 2023 rideshare incident. The arbitrator found Uber and the driver legally responsible in that proceeding. Uber publicly disagrees with the decision and maintains that the arbitrator was wrong to hold the company responsible. The award is based on the particular facts and legal issues presented in that arbitration and should not be interpreted as establishing liability in other rideshare cases. DAG Law Firm, APC does not represent anyone identified in the reports and has omitted names for privacy. This article is attorney advertising and is provided for general informational purposes only.
