Uber Ordered to Pay $8.5 Million in First Federal Assault Trial

The case centered on the November 2023 assault of Jaylynn Dean, then 19, who was attacked by driver Hassan Turay after being picked up while intoxicated. During the four-week trial in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona, testimony was heard from high-profile executives including CEO Dara Khosrowshahi and co-founder Travis Kalanick. Evidence presented by the plaintiff’s legal team suggested Uber’s internal safety algorithms flagged the trip as high-risk before the assault occurred, yet the company proceeded with the dispatch.

A Bellwether for Thousands

This verdict serves as the first "bellwether" trial in a massive federal multidistrict litigation involving more than 3,000 sexual assault claims against Uber. Plaintiff attorney Sarah London characterized the decision as a harbinger for future cases, arguing that internal documents showed Uber was aware of the heightened risks faced by women riding alone at night but prioritized business growth over public disclosure. The jury, however, declined to award punitive damages, limiting the payout to compensatory figures.

Uber announced plans to appeal the ruling, arguing that the court provided improper jury instructions regarding the legal definition of an agent. Company spokesperson Andrew Hasbun emphasized that the jury rejected claims of negligence and asserted that the company has invested meaningfully in rider safety. Uber maintains that reported sexual assaults on its platform have dropped 44% since 2019, claiming that upwards of 99.9% of trips are now completed without any reported safety incidents.