People's Justice

Case guide

Privacy in an assault claim

Ask about names and file access before you proceed. Do not assume a court or form will hide all details about you.

See If You Qualify

Free · No obligation · About 2 minutes

Updated Oct 4, 202616 sources

This may apply to you if

  • The harm you want reviewed was linked to an Uber or Lyft ride.
  • Tell the lawyer which app you used and where and when the ride took place.
  • Ask a lawyer to check the facts before treating a court group as proof that you qualify.

What the public record says

These are cited sources. Their inclusion does not imply that they endorse People’s Justice or reviewed this page.

Lisa J. Cisneros · United States District Court for the Northern District of California · United States Magistrate Judge

Finding: The July 30, 2026 Uber order allowed limited evidence gathering about driver background checks. It did not decide whether a new person has a claim.

Uber order on lobbying and background checks (opens in a new tab) · Jul 30, 2026 · Checked Oct 3, 2026

Charles R. Breyer · United States District Court for the Northern District of California · United States District Judge

Finding: The February 4, 2026 order required access to admitted exhibits after jury deliberations ended in the Dean test trial. That order concerns one Uber trial, not every survivor’s privacy.

Dean trial exhibit access order (opens in a new tab) · Feb 4, 2026 · Checked Oct 3, 2026

The evidence and its limits

Uber · 2024

Uber’s report of serious safety incidents

Design:
Other study design
Participants:
Reports from riders and drivers in 2021 and 2022; not a study of enrolled patients.
Finding:
Uber’s company report includes sexual assault reports from riders and drivers on its US platform.
Main limitation
Uber says it does not decide whether reported events occurred. These company data do not prove fault in your claim or describe Lyft’s platform.

Read the source: Uber’s report of serious safety incidents (opens in a new tab) · Checked Oct 3, 2026

The short answer

Can a page promise I can file anonymously?
This page cannot promise you can hide your name. One Uber order gave public access to items used at a trial. Ask what safeguards would apply to your case. [9]
Are trial exhibits and my name the same issue?
Your name and trial records raise separate questions. The February 4, 2026 order concerns items used in one Uber trial. It does not decide the name used in every case. [9]
What should I ask before sharing files?
Ask who will receive the records and why they need them. Health-record access has legal limits and exceptions. A minor’s health records require a separate authority check. [14]
What if I already signed a privacy agreement?
Show the lawyer the actual agreement. Ask how it relates to a proposed filing or records request. A court order from another case does not explain the terms you signed. [9]

What rules a case out

Not covered by this case

  • This page does not decide a personal claim, diagnosis, filing deadline or payment.

The process

What happens next

  1. 01

    You answer a few questions

    About two minutes. Nothing is sent until you agree on the last step and press submit.

  2. 02

    A lawyer looks at it

    A lawyer at the firm reads your answers and checks them against the current case criteria.

  3. 03

    The firm decides and gets in touch

    If the firm takes your case, you get the terms in writing to read before you sign. You can always say no.

Can a page promise I can file anonymously?

This page cannot promise you can hide your name. One Uber order gave public access to items used at a trial. Ask what safeguards would apply to your case.

Explain your privacy concern before describing the event in detail. Ask who would learn your name at each step and whether a proposed filing would use a pseudonym. Request a clear explanation of the limits.

Are trial exhibits and my name the same issue?

Your name and trial records raise separate questions. The February 4, 2026 order concerns items used in one Uber trial. It does not decide the name used in every case.

Ask the lawyer to discuss names, documents and testimony separately. If someone cites a privacy order, ask to see the relevant part and learn whether it applies to your case. Avoid assuming one protection covers everything.

What should I ask before sharing files?

Ask who will receive the records and why they need them. Health-record access has legal limits and exceptions. A minor’s health records require a separate authority check.

Tell the provider about any risk of an unsafe person learning of the request. Ask about the scope of an authorization and where a copy will be stored. Do not send graphic content through an unverified form.

What if I already signed a privacy agreement?

Show the lawyer the actual agreement. Ask how it relates to a proposed filing or records request. A court order from another case does not explain the terms you signed.

Keep a copy of the document and note who provided it. Ask for advice before changing how you share information. Do not rely on an online summary to decide whether a particular promise is binding.

When should I ask about using a different court name?

Ask about hiding your court name before a claim is filed. The judge must check the request; approval is not promised.

Would privacy work be part of the agreement?

Ask if the work includes requests to hide names or files. Get the scope, fees and remaining risks explained before you sign.

Find out where you stand.

The review is free and private. Asking for it doesn’t commit you to anything.

Register your interest

Sources

  1. Pages 1–2, document 213 filed April 2, 2026Uber case scope · court
  2. MDL table rows 3171 and 3084Court lists separate Uber and Lyft groups · court
  3. Uber MDL subsectionUber test trial exhibits · court
  4. July 30, 2026 order, pages 3–6Uber court work and new claims · court
  5. Third US Safety Report explanation; 2021–2022 dataUber safety report scope
  6. Contact Us: National Sexual Assault HotlineRAINN support contact
  7. Where to find medical care: medical support and exam sectionsRAINN medical help
  8. Model Rule 1.5(b)–(c)Fee agreement questions
  9. February 4, 2026 order, document 5196, page 1Public trial exhibits · court
  10. October 1, 2026 report; row 3084Uber pending count · court
  11. Calling 911: emergency assistanceEmergency help · regulator
  12. Uber MDL bellwether in Charlotte, NC: federal jury found the driver committed battery (not sexual assault) for grabbing a passenger's inner thigh and awarded $5,000; Judge Charles Breyer had ruled Uber qualifies as a 'common carrier' under North Carolina law with heightened liability for driver misconduct — Uber vowed to appeal. (Fortune also reports an intervening California bellwether where Uber was found not liable.)fortune.com · Apr 20, 2026
  13. First bellwether trial in Uber passenger sexual assault MDL-3084: an Arizona federal jury awarded plaintiff Jaylynn Dean $8.5 million, finding her driver was an 'apparent agent' of Uber, while rejecting negligence and defective-safety-system claims (plaintiffs had sought $144M); Uber said it would appeal.fortune.com · Feb 6, 2026
  14. HHS personal representatives guidance
  15. U.S. Courts civil-case guide
  16. SDNY court guide: filing time limitsSDNY court guide: filing time limits · court

Checked against 12 primary sources by People's Justice editors · Updated

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People's Justice research team · Updated Oct 4, 2026