Sure.
In the first trial (which was filed for both sexual assault and defamation after Trump gallantly denied Carroll's claims to an enormous audience), Trump was not convicted of rape, but he WAS found liable for sexual assault. Basically, they can't prove it, but it's likely enough to assume and take action as if it happened. Trump was found liable for $5 million. This was in 2019.
After this trial closed, Trump went on to bash Carroll and deny what now was legally established. However, since he was President when doing so, he remained immune from having legal action taken against him. When the Adult Survivors Act was passed in 2022, Carroll again sued Trump for the statements made during (and after) his presidency now that he no longer had the curtain of presidential immunity to hide behind. This is the trial that just concluded. Carroll had legal grounds to sue Trump because of the previous trial's precedent.
Additionally, Trump didn't make things any easier for himself by boasting about his immunity from prosecution (even after it was shattered). That flaunting, like in so many of Trump's other cases, gave the public reason to believe that he was abusing the powers of the Presidency; that view is still held by many people today.
Views on the verdict and scope of Trump's penalty differ. However, it's generally accepted from a legal standpoint that Carroll had good reason to sue Trump.