Uber Sexual Assault Lawsuits: What to Know
If you have experienced sexual assault or abuse in an Uber, you have rights and options, including filing a lawsuit. Below you will learn about why, how, and when to file an Uber sexual assault lawsuit.
Key Takeaways
- Since 2017, thousands of survivors have started the process to file an Uber sexual assault lawsuit to seek damages for the harm that happened to them
- Recently, all active and new federal rideshare sexual assault lawsuits against Uber are being combined into a Multi-District Litigation (MDL) — so far over 200 cases are joined under the Uber MDL
- Individuals are filing Uber sexual assault lawsuits against the company to seek accountability, justice, and healing. We can put you in touch with an experienced rideshare sexual assault attorney who is both trauma-informed
Can I File a Sexual Assault Lawsuit Against Uber?
If you are a victim of sexual assault or abuse in an Uber, you have the option to file a lawsuit against the company and the perpetrator. This goes beyond reporting to the platform and/or reporting to law enforcement for criminal justice action.
Individuals who have experienced harm in an Uber can:
- File a Sexual Assault Lawsuit Against Uber – You can sue Uber as a company for a failure to adequately protect users from predatory drivers and riders.
- File a Sexual Assault Lawsuit Against an Uber driver – You can choose to separately sue the driver individually for attempted or actual sexual assault during or after an Uber trip — although when pursuing civil charges against the perpetrator is a separate action and may not make sense in all cases of harm.
Most Uber sexual assault lawsuits are filed against the company for the following types of rideshare sexual abuse:
- 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 intoxicated, asleep, were under 18 at the time of the incident, or under the influence of drugs or other substances, you can not consent to any sexual interaction.
Those who have experienced rideshare sexual assault file lawsuits against Uber to help prevent future harm, seek accountability from the company, and to seek compensation to cover costs related to the harm that happened to them.
Kathryn Kosmides
Managing Director | Helping Survivors
Steps to File an Uber Sexual Assault Lawsuit
In the last few years, thousands of individuals have started the process to sue Uber for sexual assault for failing to uphold their duty of care to protect its users from sexual assault and other violent offenses. If you’ve been harmed by a rideshare driver, you might be unsure of the best next steps — including how to safeguard your legal rights and options. Although many lawyers handle personal injury cases, having one experienced in Uber sexual assault cases can simplify the process and expedite the process while potentially increasing the damages awarded based on their knowledge and expertise.
In general, the steps to file a lawsuit against Uber for sexual assault include:
- Document Your Experience – Write down everything you can remember and take screenshots of any evidence of the ride.
- Speak with an Attorney – Ideally you should speak with an experienced Uber sexual assault attorney as soon as possible as they can help guide you through all of the steps and processes.
- Review & Sign with Law Firm – Law firms take these cases on contingency, meaning they are compensated once there is a settlement or you win the case if taken to court. This means it does not cost anything upfront and most states have standard percentages law firms can take.
- Law Firm Files Claims Against Uber – Based on the state you are in, there may be different steps to file a lawsuit against Uber. They will take on all of this work so you can focus on healing.
- Responding to Court Summons – If there are any required court appearances or filings, your attorney will take care of 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 happened to you and what information Uber does or does not have such as the driver background check results.
- Settlement Negotiations or Trial Proceedings – Once discovery is complete, both sides will come together to decide to discuss a settlement or the case will go to a hearing.
Typically, an Uber sexual assault lawsuit seeks damages for:
- Pain and suffering and related non-economic damages.
- Compensation for medical bills
- Compensation for the cost of mental health treatment
- Compensation for lost wages
Most Uber sexual assault lawsuits cite:
- Poor hiring and vetting of drivers
- Deceptive marketing
- Lack of monitoring or oversight of drivers
You can file a lawsuit against Uber even if you were assaulted while traveling outside of your home state.
However, the statute of limitations determines how long you have to file a lawsuit against Uber for the harm that happened to you, so speaking to an experienced attorney as soon as possible is important.
We can connect you to the leading rideshare abuse law firms.
What to Know About the Uber Sexual Assault Multi-District Litigation (MDL) - April 2024 Updates
Since Uber was founded, thousands of individuals have come forward as victims of sexual assault while using Uber’s rideshare services, either as passengers or drivers. In a significant development in October 2023, a panel of judges made the decision to consolidate all of the federal cases and have them collectively heard to save court resources.
As of April 2024, over 200 cases have been unified under this ruling. This speeds up the process for survivors and makes the chance of them finding justice and healing through filing a claim faster and more likely.
If you believe you have a sexual assault claim against Uber, contact us as soon as possible to understand if you qualify to file under the Uber Passenger Sexual Assault Multi-District Litigation (MDL).
Although the individual cases are scheduled to proceed to trial in their respective states, all pretrial matters, including witness and expert depositions and document discovery, will be under the jurisdiction of Judge Charles Breyer in the Northern District of California. This comprehensive pretrial process is anticipated to provide insights into the widespread issue of sexual assault within the Uber platform.
Presently, all cases are set for trial in their respective states. Nevertheless, there exists the possibility that Judge Breyer may opt for a “bellwether trial” to serve as a representative trial for all the cases.
On April 1, 2024 Uber’s lawyers submitted a letter to Judge Breyer indicating that they have filed six motions to dismiss Uber driver sexual assault lawsuits due to survivor’s alleged failures to state actual claims. It appears that five of the motions filed seek to dismiss claims brought under state specific laws, including California, Illinois, New York Florida, and Texas. Judge Breyer has ordered plaintiff lawyers to file response briefs to Uber’s dismissal motions by the end of April.
On February 12, 2024, the MDL against Uber has reached a milestone with its 100th lawsuit filed. Initiated in October 2023, the MDL aims to provide a platform for the more than 10,000 Uber passengers who have reported sexual assaults while using the service to seek justice and compensation for the harm they have experienced.
As mentioned, In October 2023, the JPML consolidated the cases into the “Uber Passenger Sexual Assault Multi-District Litigation (MDL).” Uber sought to change the MDL’s name to exclude the term “sexual assault,” claiming it suggested a presumption of guilt. However, in December 2023, the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) chose not to modify or remove the term “sexual assault” from the title of the federal Uber sexual assault cases overseen by Judge Breyer in the Northern District of California.
Helping Survivors is actively collaborating with these leading law firms to ensure that victims of Uber-related sexual assault have access to the experienced legal representation they rightly deserve.
Uber Sexual Assault Lawsuits in the News
Over the last few years, individuals who have been sexually assaulted, kidnapped, or abused in Ubers have filed hundreds of lawsuits against Uber and other rideshare companies. Many of these have made headlines for the egregious allegations within the suits that detail the harm that happened.
2024 Uber Passenger Sexual Assault Multi-District Litigation
In October 2023, a notable ruling by a panel of judges led to the consolidation of approximately 80 legal cases into one collective proceeding in a federal court – alongside new cases filed under the MDL. Although each case will proceed to trial in its respective state, all preliminary legal matters will be overseen by Judge Charles Breyer. All existing and new federal cases are set to be filed under the Uber Sexual Assault MDL.
2019 CPUC Lawsuit Against Uber - $9M Settlement
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) filed a landmark case against Uber due to concerns over the company’s internal handling of customer-reported sexual assault incidents, rather than reporting them to law enforcement. After negotiations failed, the CPUC ordered Uber to provide detailed information about the assaults, including the names of those involved and witnesses, leading to a $59 million fine when Uber did not comply. Ultimately, Uber settled the case for $9 million.
Over Five Hundred Women Across the U.S. Sue Uber
In July 2022, a large law firm filed an Uber sexual assault lawsuit in a San Francisco court. The lawsuit detailed the claims of 550 women in multiple states who were sexually assaulted, kidnapped, raped, harassed, stalked, falsely imprisoned, or otherwise attacked by Uber drivers with whom they had been matched through the Uber app.
New York Woman Sues Uber
In September 2020, a New York woman filed a civil lawsuit against Uber, claiming the company failed to protect her and other riders against sexual assault, despite a pattern of reported incidents, engaged in deceptive marketing practices, and provided little to no oversight of drivers.
Massachusetts Woman Files Uber Sexual Assault
In July 2020, a Massachusetts woman sued Uber for a 2018 sexual assault. The driver accused of sexual assault was arrested but soon fled the country.
Oregon Woman Sues Uber for More than $1 Million
In January 2020, an Oregon woman sued Uber and one of its drivers for sexual assault. The woman, who was assaulted by the Uber driver in 2018, asked for over one million dollars in damages. The accused driver had previously faced charges related to the assault but was acquitted of these charges in 2019.
Uber Sexual Assault Lawsuit FAQs
Individuals who have experienced rideshare sexual assault often have a ton of emotions and questions. It is a very jarring experience that makes anyone who experiences it distraught. We hope this page has helped you understand why survivors file lawsuits against Uber, the claims that can be made within a suit, the process to file an Uber sexual assault lawsuit, and why having an experienced rideshare sexual assault attorney on your side is critical.
Below are some of the other questions individuals who have experienced rideshare sexual assault often have. If you have specific questions related to your experience or are seeking to connect with an Uber sexual assault lawyer who can help you, reach out to us at Helping Survivors and we will get you connected with someone today
In their two US Safety Reports, Uber reported over 10,000 sexual assaults, kidnappings, and deaths between 2018 – 2021. Thousands of survivors have started to come forward to prevent future harm and seek justice and healing through reporting their assault and filing a claim against Uber.
Prior to 2018, Uber required customers to pursue sexual assault claims through independent arbitration and mediation rather than court. Their policies also prevented survivors from speaking about their experiences publicly by requiring them to sign nondisclosure agreements.
Uber finally ended required mediation and arbitration in 2018 after immense pressure from several large scandals and an open letter penned by 14 female victims of sexual assault.
Today, Uber sexual assault survivors can now choose to settle claims through:
Mediation: You can attempt to reach a collaborative settlement
Arbitration: You can resolve the claim with a trained arbitrator
Court: You can pursue legal or financial accountability
An experienced lawyer can speak with you to understand and evaluate your case and help you understand your best course of action.
An experienced lawyer can work to prevent your information from being public information based on your desires and local laws.
While there is not set amount that a sexual assault lawsuit claim against Uber is worth, the amount of potential compensation from damages and the time involved to handle the claims will vary depending on the type of harm you experienced and the facts surrounding the case.
A trained attorney experienced in sexual assault lawsuits against Uber and other personal injury complaints can estimate the damages based on current and future expenses and financial losses along with their knowledge of previous settlements with the company and in the industry. While many factors will influence the value of your case and the final settlement or award amount, it is always worth having a free consultation with an attorney regarding your experience.
There are many law firms and websites that advertise to survivors of rideshare sexual assault. Helping Survivors is one of the few organizations that works with experts, advocates, nonprofits, and multiple law firms to ensure survivors are connected to the best possible resources for their unique needs.
You want a law firm that has deep expertise in these types of cases and can make the process as easy as possible for you by being survivor-centric in their work. We can connect you to the best law firm for you wherever you’re located in the United States to help ensure you have the best attorneys representing you however you choose to move forward.
The ability to file a sexual assault lawsuit against Uber or Lyft depends on the civil statute of limitations in the state the harm occurred. You should immediately get in touch with an experienced attorney even if you believe the statute of limitations may have expired.
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