A U.S. jury ordered Uber to pay $8.5 million to Jaylynn Dean, who said she was sexually assaulted by a driver when she was 19, in the first bellwether trial of more than 3,000 similar lawsuits against the company.

The jury found the driver was acting as an agent of Uber, holding the company liable, but declined to award punitive damages.

Uber said it will appeal, arguing the verdict shows it acted responsibly on rider safety, while Dean’s attorneys said it validates survivors seeking accountability.

The decision briefly pushed Uber and Lyft shares lower and could influence how the remaining cases are valued or settled, NBC News has reported.

The ruling comes amid long-standing scrutiny of Uber’s safety practices and its stance that drivers are independent contractors, not employees.