San Diego partners Beth Golub and Justina Tate were identified as prevailing counsel in the article “Calif. Panel Says Uber Not Liable for College Student’s Death,” appearing in the May 20, 2026, edition of Law360. The article was written following the California Court of Appeals, 4th District’s recent affirmance of the trial court’s order granting Beth and Justina’s motion for summary judgment on behalf of Wilson Elser’s major client in a wrongful death matter. 

The case involved the tragic death of an intoxicated 19-year-old college student who decided to vacate the rideshare vehicle she was in, called for another rideshare driver, and then failed to enter that vehicle or respond to the driver’s calls or texts. She somehow ended up on a freeway, almost 5 miles away, thirty minutes after leaving the client’s rideshare vehicle. A bystander attempted to assist her and guided her to the freeway’s gore point while calling 911. During that time, she entered the freeway lanes and was struck by two vehicles, resulting in her demise.

Wilson Elser successfully moved for summary judgment on the grounds that our client’s alleged actions were not a legal cause of the harm. The oral argument at the trial court level, where the press was present, was emotional and included outbursts from the plaintiff/decedent’s mother.