A federal jury in North Carolina has found Uber liable for the actions of a driver who grabbed the inner thigh of a passenger and asked if he could "keep her" with him. The plaintiff was awarded $5,000 in damages. This verdict is part of a broader group of sexual assault lawsuits filed against Uber in multiple jurisdictions around the country. The judge presiding over the group of lawsuits ruled that Uber was a "common carrier" under North Carolina law and was therefore liable for driver's actions. The lawsuits follow years of criticism of Uber's safety record, including thousands of incidents of sexual assaults reported by both passengers and drivers.