Lyft Sexual Assault Lawsuits: Everything You Need to Know
Understand why individuals who experience rideshare sexual assault file lawsuits against Lyft, the process for filing a rideshare sexual assault lawsuit, and how you can get help if you experienced harm.
Key Takeaways
- Hundreds of individuals have filed sexual abuse lawsuits against Lyft for failing to adequately vet drivers and protect riders from perpetrators including known and repeat offenders.
- The statute of limitations and actions taken immediately following the experience can dictate your ability to pursue a Lyft sexual assault lawsuit
- If you have experienced rideshare sexual assault and are considering your options, including filing a Lyft sexual assault lawsuit, reach out to Helping Survivors and we can connect you with an experienced lawyer
Why File a Lyft Sexual Assault Lawsuit?
Since its launch, Lyft has helped millions of individuals get to their destinations safely. But, for thousands of individuals around the world, what they thought would be just another trip turned into a traumatic experience that can have lifelong implications.
Thousands of individuals have experienced rideshare sexual assault including:
- Unwanted fondling or touching
- Attempted rape
- Rape
- Other non-consensual sexual acts, such as kissing or oral sex
- Stalking and/or harassment
If you were asleep, under 18 at the time of the incident, or under the influence of drugs or alcohol, you can not consent to any sexual interaction.
Individuals file sexual assault lawsuits against Lyft to help prevent future harm, seek accountability from the company for their role in the harm, and to seek monetary damages to cover costs related to experiencing rideshare sexual assault such as medical expenses, therapy, and missed work due to the harm that happened.
Kathryn Kosmides
Managing Director | Helping Survivors
Steps to File a Lyft Sexual Assault Lawsuit
Most people do not understand the criminal or civil legal process after being a victim of any form of sexual assault, including rideshare sexual assault.
They have not needed to speak to a lawyer or seek legal advice or information and answers regarding what their legal rights and options are, how to report rideshare sexual assault to the platform and/or law enforcement, and how to file a sexual assault claim against Lyft. Experiencing rideshare sexual assault is a traumatizing and confusing experience, and that’s where having an experienced law firm can help immensely.
Finding a trustworthy Lyft sexual assault attorney and knowing the right questions to ask can be confusing and challenging, especially after going through a traumatic experience.
General Lyft Sexual Assault Lawsuit Claims
Typically, a Lyft sexual assault attorney files a civil claim to seek damages for:
- Compensation for medical bills
- Compensation for the cost of mental health treatment
- Compensation for lost wages
- Pain and suffering and related non-economic damages.
General Lyft Sexual Assault Lawsuit Damages
- Poor Vetting and Hiring Practices
Like other rideshare apps, Lyft requires drivers to undergo initial and annual criminal background checks. It also requires drivers to undergo continuous criminal monitoring.
Unfortunately, that’s not enough since sexual assaults still happen. For one, Lyft’s criminal background checks only look at records from the last seven years and oftentimes can only look at convictions, not arrests. Also, sexual offenders who have yet to be convicted can use Lyft to find victims.
- Negligence in Ensuring Rider Safety
Lyft currently provides in-app emergency assistance, including a 24/7 safety team that riders can contact if they feel unsafe or have concerns.
However, Lyft only implemented these features after sexual assault victims came forward and took legal action. Sexual assault victims have also argued for additional safety features, such as video monitoring of rides in Lyft cars, and on the app.
- Failure to Respond to Incident Reports
Sexual assault survivors have also spoken out against Lyft’s failure to respond to incident reports. According to Caroline Miller, who was raped by a Lyft driver after celebrating her birthday, Lyft’s response to her sexual assault report was to send her a small amount of money.
Miller and 18 other women jointly filed a lawsuit against Lyft. Similarly, 14 plaintiffs in a 2022 lawsuit said that Lyft did nothing after they reported their assaults other than telling them that Lyft was sorry for their experience and that it would suspend the perpetrator’s account.
An attorney for the plaintiffs, Adam Wolf, told NPR, “The thing Lyft is most concerned about protecting is its own profit margins.” Survivors deserve healing and filing a lawsuit is oftentimes their only way to have the money to pay for services and their missed work.
As of April 2024, numerous new lawsuits against Lyft for sexual abuse have made headlines recently including a sexual assault of teen by Lyft driver in Kansas, a lawsuit against Lyft in a San Francisco federal court from a woman who was impregnated by a driver, and a Lyft driver allegedly raping a USC student near the campus. These ongoing headlines show the continued problem of rideshare sexual assault and the lack of support for survivors provided by the platforms.
An experienced attorney can help rideshare sexual assault victims with:
- Collecting and documenting evidence of the assault
- Writing and submit in-app incident report to Lyft
- Helping in the process of filing a report with law enforcement if you haven’t already
- Filing a Lyft sexual assault lawsuit on your behalf
- Handling all communications with the rideshare company, their legal representatives, and the courts
- Negotiating with Lyft’s representative regarding a potential rideshare sexual assault settlement on your behalf
- Helping ensuring your personal information can be kept confidential if you choose to file a sexual assault claim against Lyft
- Representing you publicly in all court appearances regarding the case
If you have questions about your experience or are seeking information about filing a Lyft sexual assault lawsuit, you can reach out ot us for support today.
We can connect you to the leading rideshare abuse law firms.
Steps to File a Lyft Sexual Assault Lawsuit
Over the last few years, many survivors of Lyft sexual abuse have filed claims against the company for failing to uphold its duty of care to protect its users from sexual assault and other violent offenses. We believe that every individual should understand the civil litigation process, so they can make informed decisions about filing a potential Lyft sexual assault lawsuit.
This is the standard process for filing a claim against Lyft as of April 2024, although processes may change as the existing Lyft sexual assault lawsuits make their way through the legal process.
The steps to file a lawsuit against Lyft for sexual assault include:
- Document Your Experience – Write down everything you can remember and take screenshots of any evidence related to the ride.
- Speak with an Attorney – It’s advisable to consult an experienced Lyft sexual assault attorney as soon as possible to guide you through the steps and processes involved.
- Review & Sign with Law Firm – Law firms typically take these cases on a contingency basis, meaning they are compensated once there is a settlement or you win the case in court. This arrangement doesn’t require any upfront payment, and most states have standard percentages that law firms can take.
- Law Firm Files Claims Against Lyft – Depending on the state you are in, there may be different steps to file a claim against Lyft. The law firm will handle all of this work so you can focus on your recovery.
- Responding to Court Summons – If any court appearances or filings are required, your attorney will manage these, and you will likely not need to attend.
- Discovery Process – This is the process of gathering evidence and information related to the harm that occurred and what information Lyft does or does not have, such as the driver’s background check results.
- Settlement Negotiations or Trial Proceedings – Once the discovery is complete, both sides will come together to discuss a settlement, or the case will proceed to a hearing.
The statute of limitations determines how long the state has to press criminal charges and how long you have to file a lawsuit against Lyft, so speaking to a professional attorney as soon as possible is important.
You can file a claim even if you were assaulted while traveling outside of your home state. Additionally, your information can typically be kept confidential during this entire process, meaning that the public and those around you do not have to know the details of your experience.
Current Lyft Sexual Assault Lawsuits in the Headlines
Some recent high-profile lawsuits against Lyft make multiple allegations against the rideshare company related to their trust and safety practices, background checks policies, and beyond.
Seventeen Lawsuits for Sexual Assault Against Lyft
In 2022, Lyft faced 17 new lawsuits from users around the United States for failing to protect drivers and passengers from sexual and physical assault. Of the 17 lawsuits, 14 were filed by victims of sexual assault.
One of the plaintiffs described how her driver locked the car doors and sexually assaulted her in June 2021. He then told her to keep the assault a secret because he knew where she and her friends lived.
All of these passengers and drivers reported that Lyft did nothing to help them after they reported their assaults other than telling them that Lyft was sorry for their experience and would suspend the account of the passenger or driver who assaulted them.
Nineteen Women Sue Lyft for Failing To Prevent Sexual Assault
In December 2019, an additional 19 women filed lawsuits against Lyft in San Francisco, California. The plaintiffs, all women passengers, all alleged that they had been sexually assaulted by Lyft drivers and that Lyft did not take their reports seriously or failed to follow up on them.
At Least 34 Women Sue Lyft for Failing To Prevent Sexual Assault
In August 2019, Alison Turkos was kidnapped by her Lyft driver at gunpoint. He then drove her across state lines and gang-raped her with two other men. Turkos is one of more than 34 women suing Lyft for enabling a sexual assault “epidemic.”
Lyft Sexual Assault Lawyers & Lawsuits FAQs
Since the launch of rideshare apps, it is likely tens of thousands of people have experienced sexual harassment, abuse, assault, kidnapping, and other violent crimes in rideshares.
In their first and only US Safety Report, Lyft self-reported showed they received 4,158 reports of sexual assault between 2017 – 2019. They have not published data for 2020 – 2024.
Below you will find FAQs related to filing a sexual assault lawsuit against Lyft if you experienced rideshare sexual assault or abuse.
If you are looking to speak to an experienced Lyft sexual assault attorney or have questions, reach out to Helping Survivors and we’ll get you the help you deserve.
Lyft has only officially published one US Safety Report which covered the years 2017 – 2019. The report showed they received 4,158 reports of sexual assault between 2017 – 2019. They have not published data for 2020 – 2024 but we continue to hear from survivors.
Before 2018, Lyft required sexual assault victims to pursue claims through independent mediation and arbitration. Fortunately, Lyft changed its tune in 2018 after more than a hundred Lyft drivers were arrested for sexual assault. As a result, Lyft sexual assault victims can now settle claims in any way they want, whether through mediation, arbitration, or in open court.
In general, most survivors are able to keep their personal information and the details of the harm that happened to them confidential.
While there is no set amount for a sexual assault lawsuit claim against Lyft, the potential compensation from damages and the time required to handle the claims will vary based on the type of harm you’ve experienced and the specifics of your case.
A skilled attorney, well-versed in sexual assault lawsuits against Lyft and other personal injury claims, can provide an estimate of the damages. This estimation will consider current and future expenses, financial losses, and their knowledge of previous settlements with Lyft and within the broader industry. Although many factors will influence the value of your case and the final settlement or award amount, consulting with an attorney for a free assessment of your situation is always beneficial.
Finding an attorney who specializes in helping rideshare sexual assault survivors seek justice is critically important to ensure you have the expertise necessary. We can put you in touch with a leading law firm in this area to help you wherever you are located in the United States.
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