Lyft Sexual Assault Lawsuit: How To File & Lawsuit Updates
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Author: Kathryn Kosmides
Survivor Advocate
Reviewed By: Melissa Reitberg
Uber Sexual Assault Attorney
- 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 Rideshare 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.
If you were asleep, under 18 at the time of the incident, or under the influence of drugs or alcohol, your ability to consent is impaired and/or limited. Speaking to an experienced and trusted Lyft sexual assault lawyer can help you label your experience and understand your rights and options.
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.
Lyft Sexual Assault Allegations
As of January 2025, 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.
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
What Kind of Compensation Can I Receive from a Lyft Sexual Assault Lawsuit?
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.
Safety Issues Cited in Lyft Rideshare Sexual Assault Lawsuit
- 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.
As of July 2025, the company has slowly begun the process of offering additional safety features for its app, including features that allow riders to block or favorite drivers and allow female passengers to request women-only drivers.
- 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.
We can connect you to a rideshare abuse law firm today.
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 January 2025, 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 a 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 a majority of the work necessary to file the claim. Your role is to provide information to the firm including the original report to Lyft, any medical documentation of the experience, and any other pre-trial discovery requests.
- 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 or past incident reports.
- Settlement Negotiations or Trial Proceedings – Once the discovery is complete, both sides will come together to discuss a settlement and if a settlement cannot be reached, the lawsuit will continue to be litigated in court including and possibly beyond a jury trial.
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 the filing process, meaning that the public and those around you do not have to know the details of your experience.
How Can a Lawyer Help After a Rideshare Sexual Assault?
An experienced attorney can help rideshare sexual assault victims with:
- Collecting and documenting evidence of the assault
- Writing and submitting 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.
Lyft Sexual Assault Lawsuits in the News [August 2025]
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. These lawsuits were filed by a variety of law firms working to protect survivors and are not necessarily indicative of future results.
Lyft Sexual Assault 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 latest US Safety Report, published in July of 2024, Lyft stated that they received 2,651 reports of sexual assault between 2020-2022. They have not published data for 2023–2024.
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 officially published two US Safety Report which covered the years 2017 – 2019 and 2020-2022. The report showed they received 2,651 reports of sexual assault between 2020-2022. They have not published data for 2023 – 2024 but we continue to hear from survivors.
Lyft’s Terms of Service, was updated on December 13, 2024. The Terms of Service include a Dispute Resolution and Arbitration Agreement, which generally requires binding arbitration for disputes between users and Lyft. However, they do not specify exceptions for sexual assault claims. This means that, under the current terms, such claims would typically be subject to arbitration rather than being resolved in 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.
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.
The duration of the Lyft settlement process for sexual assault lawsuits can vary widely, from several months or several years, depending on various factors.
In straightforward cases where liability is clear, settlements may be reached relatively quickly, sometimes within a few months.
However, in complex cases involving disputed liability, severe injuries, or extensive negotiations, the settlement timeline may be extended, taking longer to reach a resolution.
It must be noted that not every Lyft sexual assault lawsuit may be settled outside of a trial – Lyft may choose to go down this path depending on a variety of factors, including Uber and their lawyer’s actions. The firms we work with will fiercely advocate for a settlement to help protect you from retraumatization by having to go to a trial if and when possible.
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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