A federal jury in Arizona has ordered Uber to pay $8.5 million in a lawsuit brought by a passenger who said she was sexually assaulted by one of the ride-hailing app’s drivers. The case marks the first time that Uber has been found liable for the safety of its drivers in a sexual assault case.

The plaintiff, Oklahoma resident Jaylynn Dean, sued Uber in 2023. Dean alleged that an Uber driver sexually assaulted her that November during a late ride to a hotel in Tempe, Arizona. Dean’s legal team argued that Uber avoided extra safety measures such as more extensive background checks and in-ride cameras........

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