The law firm leading the class action against Uber has announced that the outcome is among the most successful legal actions ever taken against the ride-sharing giant. Uber has agreed to pay $178m to settle a lawsuit with taxi and hire car drivers in Australia who claimed they lost earnings to the ride-hailing app.
Maurice Blackburn Lawyers, who filed the class action on behalf of over 8,000 taxi and hire car owners and drivers in 2019, stated that Uber fought relentlessly throughout the five-year legal battle to deny compensation to the group members. However, the company eventually agreed to settle on the courtroom steps after years of resistance.
According to Maurice Blackburn Lawyers Principal Michael Donelly, this settlement marks one of the top five class action settlements in Australian legal history, holding Uber accountable for its actions. Uber, on the other hand, mentioned that they have made significant contributions to state-level taxi compensation schemes since 2018 and see this settlement as putting these issues behind them.
Uber emphasized that they are now regulated in every state and territory in Australia and have become an important part of the nation’s transportation industry. The company will continue focusing on providing safe, affordable, and reliable transportation services to millions of Australians who use their platform for their daily travel needs.