A North Carolina federal jury found Uber liable for a 2019 sexual assault committed by a driver. The court ordered the company to pay the victim $5,000 in damages.
This case marks the second "bellwether" trial among more than 3,000 consolidated lawsuits against the company. These initial proceedings test legal arguments to guide potential settlements for the remaining claims.
Uber argued it functions as a software platform rather than a "common carrier" responsible for driver actions. Courts have repeatedly challenged this defense.
The verdict represents Uber's second consecutive loss in these pivotal early trials. A previous bellwether case in Arizona resulted in an $8.5 million verdict against the company in February.