The ruling could affect thousands of similar cases against the company.
The case, brought by prosecutor Jaylynn Dean, was the first trial of more than 3,000 similar lawsuits against Uber that have been consolidated in federal court in the United States, Reuters writes.
This type of trial is used to test legal theories and assess the value of claims for possible settlements. A jury in federal court in Phoenix, Arizona found that the driver was an Uber agent, holding the company liable for his actions.
Uber shares fell 1.5 percent in after-hours trading. Shares of rival Lyft, which faces similar lawsuits, fell 1.8 percent.
In a statement, an Uber spokesman said the company would appeal and noted that the jury rejected Dean’s other claims that the company was negligent or that its safety systems were faulty.
Dean, an Oklahoma resident, sued Uber in 2023, a month after the alleged attack in Arizona. She said Uber was aware of the spate of sexual assaults committed by its drivers, but failed to take basic measures to improve passenger safety. Such claims have long dogged the company, sparking media headlines and congressional investigations.
(Vijesti.ba / FENA)
