Verified against court and regulatory records · No upfront fees · Your information is never sold
Current Status of the Uber MDL (MDL No. 3084)
The Uber Passenger Sexual Assault MDL (In re Uber Technologies, Inc., Passenger Sexual Assault Litigation, MDL No. 3084) was established by the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation in 2023 and assigned to the Northern District of California. As of February 2026, the MDL encompasses thousands of individual plaintiff cases. The Court has entered a Discovery Management Order governing the production of documents from Uber and has ordered multiple rounds of document production from the company's safety division, driver screening operations, and executive leadership communications regarding the assault problem.
Bellwether trial selection — the process of identifying representative cases to go to trial first, whose outcomes will inform settlement negotiations for the remaining MDL plaintiffs — is underway as of 2026. Legal commentators expect that bellwether trial results will trigger global settlement negotiations similar to those seen in other large consumer safety MDLs. Survivors who join the MDL now are positioned to participate in any global settlement program that emerges from bellwether proceedings.
Current Status of the Lyft MDL
The Lyft sexual assault MDL, also consolidated in the Northern District of California, is at a somewhat earlier stage than the Uber MDL as of 2026, with active document discovery ongoing. The two MDLs proceed independently before separate judges and have different discovery schedules, but Lyft and Uber's parallel processing through the same courthouse has produced some coordination efficiencies.
For survivors deciding whether to join the Lyft MDL or file in state court, an attorney can assess the relative advantages of each venue including the stage of MDL discovery, the strength of state-specific claims, the applicable statute of limitations, and the likely timeline to resolution. There is no universal right answer — the best venue depends on the specific facts of your case and your goals for the litigation.
Why Timing Matters
MDL proceedings move through defined stages — discovery, bellwether trials, and (typically) global settlement negotiations. Survivors who file earlier benefit from earlier access to discovered documents and, if a global settlement is reached, earlier participation in any settlement program. Evidence also preserves better when legal holds are in place: your attorney's preservation demand to Uber or Lyft triggers a legal duty to retain all records related to your trip, the driver, and the driver's complaint history. The longer you wait, the more likely it is that routine data destruction has eliminated records that would support your case.
Key data
Data & Statistics
MDL No. 3084 — Uber Passenger Sexual Assault Litigation — N.D. California (est. 2023)
JPML Transfer Order (2023)
Both Uber and Lyft MDLs in active pre-trial proceedings as of February 2026
MDL docket reports (2026)
Global settlement discussions in large MDLs typically follow bellwether trial outcomes
Duke Law Center for Judicial Studies — MDL Standards
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Dive deeper
Related Guides
- Uber Sexual Assault LawsuitUber faces consolidated multi-district litigation in the Northern District of California (MDL No. 3084) involving thousands of sexual assault claims from passengers. The cases allege that Uber's inadequate driver background checks, failure to remove drivers with prior complaints, and insufficient in-app safety measures enabled assaults that a more responsible platform would have prevented.
- Campus Rideshare Sexual AssaultCollege students are among the most frequent rideshare users and face elevated risk of rideshare assault, particularly during late-night bar hours. Campus assaults may involve Title IX considerations if any university nexus exists, and minor plaintiffs have extended time to file civil claims due to SOL tolling until age 18.
- SANE Exam: Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner EvidenceA sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) exam is the gold standard for documenting physical evidence of sexual assault. SANE exams are available at no cost to survivors at most hospital emergency departments and rape crisis centers, and the evidence collected can support both criminal prosecution and civil litigation — but you do not need a SANE exam to pursue a civil claim.
- PTSD and Psychiatric Injury as Compensable DamagesPost-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety disorders, and other psychiatric injuries caused by rideshare sexual assault are fully compensable as non-economic damages in civil litigation. Psychiatric injury is often the largest component of damages in assault cases — and it can be documented, quantified, and presented to juries through treating clinicians and forensic psychology experts.
- Rideshare Assault Claims Involving MinorsWhen a minor is assaulted during a rideshare trip, their parent or guardian can file a civil claim on their behalf, and the statute of limitations is tolled (suspended) until the child turns 18. This means more time is available to file, but consulting an attorney as soon as possible is still important to preserve evidence and understand the child's rights.
- Reporting Rideshare Sexual AssaultReporting a rideshare assault is entirely your decision. You are not required to report to Uber, Lyft, or law enforcement to pursue a civil claim. Understanding your reporting options — and what each pathway involves — can help you make an informed decision that feels right for you.
- Lyft Sexual Assault LawsuitLyft faces its own multi-district litigation for sexual assault claims, consolidated separately from Uber's MDL in the Northern District of California. Lyft's smaller market share produces proportionally comparable assault allegations, with similar claims of inadequate background checks, failure to remove dangerous drivers, and insufficient passenger safety infrastructure.
- Rideshare Driver Background ChecksUber and Lyft driver background checks use name-based database searches that miss criminal records under aliases, from states with limited reporting, and from international jurisdictions. This is structurally weaker than fingerprint-based checks required of taxi drivers, school employees, and healthcare workers in most states — and that structural gap is at the center of most rideshare assault lawsuits.
- Uber Safety Report Data: What the Numbers Really MeanUber's 2022 U.S. Safety Report disclosed 3,824 sexual assault incidents across 2019 and 2020 — but this figure represents only assaults reported directly to Uber by passengers. With sexual assault reporting rates as low as 1 in 5, the true number of Uber assaults may be many times higher. The report was released only after years of litigation pressure and does not include Uber Eats delivery incidents.
- Rideshare Assault Evidence: What Records ExistRideshare companies maintain extensive digital records for every completed trip including GPS route data, timestamps, driver identity, vehicle information, and complaint histories. Through litigation discovery, your attorney can compel Uber or Lyft to produce these records, which often form critical evidence in sexual assault civil cases.
- Sexual Assault Statute of Limitations by StateCivil statutes of limitations for sexual assault claims have been dramatically extended in most states since 2017, with many states now providing 10-20 years or no time limit at all. If you were assaulted during a rideshare ride, even years ago, please speak with an attorney before concluding your time has passed.
- Anonymous Filing in Rideshare Sexual Assault CasesMany survivors of rideshare sexual assault can pursue civil claims while protecting their identity through pseudonymous filing (Jane Doe or John Doe), protective orders limiting access to identifying information, and confidential settlement agreements. Protecting your privacy is a priority that experienced rideshare assault attorneys are equipped to fight for in every jurisdiction.
- Trauma-Informed Legal Process for SurvivorsPursuing a civil rideshare assault claim does not have to re-traumatize you. Attorneys who specialize in this area of law understand trauma responses, work at your pace, coordinate with your mental health providers, and advocate for procedural protections that minimize the burden on survivors throughout the legal process.
- Criminal vs. Civil Cases: How They InteractCriminal prosecution and civil litigation are entirely separate legal proceedings with different purposes, different standards of proof, and different outcomes. You can pursue a civil claim against Uber, Lyft, and the driver regardless of whether a criminal case exists, is ongoing, or resulted in acquittal. Civil claims are about compensation for your harm; criminal cases are about punishment and public accountability.
The full investigation