An arbitrator found Uber jointly responsible after a passenger was fatally struck along Route 73, although the company disputes the decision.
The parents of a 23-year-old woman who was killed after leaving an Uber vehicle along an Orange County freeway have been awarded $40 million through private arbitration.
Emily Normandin-Parker was struck by traffic on Route 73 in 2023 after driver Vu Tran stopped in a gore point between the freeway and an exit ramp.
According to the arbitration decision, Normandin-Parker and a friend had requested a ride home after drinking. After the friend became sick inside the vehicle, Tran stopped alongside the freeway, and an argument followed outside the car.
Normandin-Parker was subsequently struck and killed by passing traffic.
Retired Judge Richard Stone found Tran negligent and concluded that Uber was vicariously liable for his conduct. Each of Normandin-Parker’s parents was awarded $20 million.
Uber had argued that it operates as a technology platform connecting customers with independent drivers. Stone rejected the argument that the company’s classification of its drivers relieved it of responsibility in this case.
Uber disputed the decision.
“While we respect the arbitration process, we believe the arbitrator was wrong in holding Uber legally responsible,” the company said in a statement provided to the Associated Press.
Attorneys representing Tran did not respond to the AP’s request for comment.
The arbitration decision was dated in July but released publicly by the family’s attorneys this week. Because the matter was resolved through private arbitration rather than a court judgment, the finding does not establish binding legal precedent.
Normandin-Parker’s parents said they hope the decision draws attention to ride-share safety. They plan to support scholarships, mentorship programs and advocacy through a foundation established in their daughter’s name.
Sources
Associated Press — September 18, 2026
The Guardian — September 18, 2026
