The company Uber is required to pay 8.5 million dollars after being found guilty of negligence in a sexual assault case.

The company Uber has been ordered by a federal court in Phoenix to pay 8.5 million dollars after being found guilty in a lawsuit filed by Jaylynn Dean, who alleged that she was sexually assaulted by a driver of the platform.

This case is the first in a series of over 3,000 similar lawsuits against Uber, known as 'bellwether', intended to test the validity of the allegations. Dean claimed that Uber was aware of the sexual assaults committed by its drivers but did not implement adequate safety measures. Her lawyer argued that Uber promoted itself as a safe option for women, while the company stated that it cannot be held responsible for the behavior of drivers, who are considered independent contractors.