Attorneys for an Orange County family said Uber has been ordered to pay $40 million over the death of a 23-year-old woman who was struck and killed by a vehicle in 2023 after her driver kicked her out of his car on the side of a busy freeway.
The woman’s parents really want to get the word out about the case and hope things change with Uber in respect to how they treat their customers and their safety procedures.
Following a night out with a friend, Emily Normandin-Parker chose not to drive and called an Uber for what was supposed to be a safe ride home to Laguna Beach, according to her parents.
After Normandin-Parker’s friend became sick and vomited during the ride, the Uber driver stopped at a freeway gore point on State Route 73, near MacArthur Boulevard, instead of exiting to a safe location, attorneys said.
A “gore point” refers to the triangular safety zone where an off-ramp splits from the main highway lanes.
The Uber driver then ordered the two young women out of the vehicle, attorneys said.
Normandin-Parker was left stranded there, alongside multiple lanes of freeway traffic, where she was then fatally struck by a vehicle, her parents said.
After a five-day arbitration, Judge Richard Stone ordered Uber to pay $40 million to Normandin-Parker’s parents after concluding the company is legally responsible for the conduct of its driver.
Her parents said they hope some safety changes are made as a result of this case. “We just wanted Uber to bring Emily home safely. That’s what they promised,” said mother Carol Normandin. “That’s what we wanted. And all we can do is hope they bring other people home, or people abandon Uber like they abandoned Emily. They stop using it.”
In a statement, Uber said: “No family should have to suffer the loss of a child, and our 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. We have continued to strengthen our approach to safety over the years, through new technology, policies and safeguards informed by safety experts, including additional guidance to drivers about avoiding drop-offs in unsafe locations.”
Normandin-Parker, a 2022 UCLA graduate, was described as a writer, musician and beloved daughter and sister who was remembered for her kindness, creativity and extraordinary compassion.
Her family established the Emily Normandin-Parker Foundation to honor her memory and advocate for stronger rideshare safety protections. They plan to use proceeds from the case to fund the foundation, attorneys said.