Rideshare Sexual Assault Lawyers

Do I Have a Viable Claim for Sexual Assault or Abuse?

If you were sexually harassed, assaulted, or otherwise harmed or threatened during a rideshare encounter, your injuries are real, and are absolutely worthy of legal consideration. Consulting with an attorney is the first step in evaluating your situation and what kind of claim you could bring against Uber or Lyft to account for the damage done.

‍Filing a lawsuit is your choice to make, and could result in compensation that covers:

By pursuing a lawsuit against rideshare companies that allow lax safety standards to harm their passengers, you help incentivize reform. Above the justice that you personally deserve, your lawsuit can also help improve safety protocols, enhance background check protections, and truly save another person’s life. 

There are many real, tangible benefits to bringing a case against Lyft or Uber. By seeking justice for yourself, you may also help bring about life-saving reforms to rideshare safety policies and company practices.

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Do Uber & Lyft Have a Duty to Protect Passengers?

Yes, rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft have a duty to protect the passengers that ride with their drivers.

Businesses have what’s known as a “duty of care” for their customers. This is true for brick-and-mortar shops, online retailers, and yes, even for rideshare companies that are physically far removed from the actual encounter. The policies established by these companies have real consequences, and any rules they neglect to enforce are all relevant to the conduct and treatment that takes place in cars across the United States. Thorough background screenings for drivers, for example, should be uniformly applied in every instance as part of their vetting process every single time.

As a customer, you have the right to safe spaces and respectful treatment from employees. If those accommodations are so lax as to cause you harm in any place of business, it’s a violation of the company’s duty, and may well be grounds for a personal injury lawsuit.

Rideshares like Uber and Lyft are presented as safe, neighborly alternatives to traditional taxis. However, the amount of reported sexual assaults during these rides reveals that safety is not guaranteed. Hold these companies accountable for the serious harm they allow.

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Are Uber & Lyft Liable for Sexual Assault?

Yes, Uber and Lyft can be held liable for sexual assault. 

Both companies have already been heavily fined for their failures related to sexual assaults during rides.

• Lyft reached a $35 million settlement with its own shareholders over their concealment of safety issues before taking the company public, issues including the rate of passenger sexual assault.
• Uber agreed to pay a $9 million settlement in California alone, $5 million of which for a California victim compensation fund, and $4 million to create new industry-wide safety standards to prevent physical and sexual violence during rideshares.

These companies are well aware that driver sexual misconduct is an economic risk to their business model. It’s also an existential risk to the women, men, and young people who are violated during what should have been an average ride to their next destination.

Businesses rely on their reputations. By holding rideshare companies responsible for the injuries you’ve suffered, you help bring awareness to any risky practices. This helps future users make informed decisions about whether they can trust their safety to Uber or Lyft. It can also help spur genuine change in the industry to reassure customers that they’re fully protected. 

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