Every ride requested through a rideshare app comes with an implicit promise of safety. When Uber and Lyft fail to fulfill that promise — through inadequate background checks, failure to remove dangerous drivers, or systemic indifference to survivor reports — the companies bear legal responsibility for the harm survivors experience. Uber's 2022 U.S. Safety Report, released only after sustained legal and public pressure, disclosed 3,824 reports of sexual assault in just two years of rides. Advocacy organizations and litigation experts believe those numbers dramatically undercount the true scope because most survivors never report to Uber or Lyft, let alone law enforcement. Both companies now face consolidated multi-district litigation (MDL) proceedings — Uber in the Northern District of California, Lyft in the same court — where thousands of individual claims have been joined for pre-trial proceedings. Civil litigation against rideshare platforms is separate from and independent of any criminal case, and survivors can pursue civil claims regardless of whether a criminal prosecution occurred or resulted in conviction.
Litigation Timeline
Case Resolution: Settlement or Trial
Most rideshare sexual assault cases resolve through negotiated settlements rather than trials. MDL bellwether trials — where a small number of representative cases go to trial to assess likely jury outcomes — influence global settlement values across all filed cases. Your attorney will negotiate on your behalf and present any settlement offer to you for your decision. You are never required to settle — the decision is always yours. If a fair settlement cannot be reached, your case can proceed to trial where you would have the option to testify or, in many jurisdictions, have your account presented through other evidence and expert testimony.
proceduralInvestigation, Evidence Preservation, and Filing
Your attorney sends preservation demands to Uber or Lyft requiring them to retain all records related to your trip, the driver's history, prior complaints against the driver, and the platform's safety response. Through litigation discovery, your attorney can obtain trip GPS records, driver background check documentation, the driver's complaint history, internal communications about your report, and Uber or Lyft's safety policies. Your attorney will evaluate whether to file in the federal MDL, in state court, or both. You will be guided through this process at a pace that respects your wellbeing.
proceduralContact a Rideshare Sexual Assault Attorney
Contact an attorney who specializes in rideshare sexual assault civil litigation. The consultation is free, completely confidential, and carries no obligation. Your attorney can advise you on the evidence that exists in your case, how to preserve it, what the applicable statute of limitations is, and what your options are. You do not need to have reported to police, to Uber or Lyft, or to anyone else before speaking with an attorney. An attorney can also advise you on the MDL proceedings and whether your case should be filed there or in state court.
proceduralSeek Medical Care and Consider a SANE Exam
A sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) exam provides the most comprehensive forensic and medical documentation of the assault. SANE exams are available at most hospital emergency departments and rape crisis centers, typically at no cost to survivors. Evidence collected during a SANE exam can support both criminal prosecution and civil litigation. However, you do not need a SANE exam to pursue a civil claim — a civil case can succeed on other forms of evidence. If more than 120 hours have passed, a SANE exam may still be valuable for documenting physical injuries. Seek medical care for any physical injuries, and ask about HIV PEP if there is exposure risk.
proceduralThe Assault Occurs During a Rideshare Trip
You are assaulted during an Uber or Lyft trip. The driver may be the perpetrator, or another passenger in a shared ride. You have no obligation to do anything specific in the immediate aftermath — your safety and wellbeing come first. If you are able, try to reach a safe location, contact a trusted person, and preserve any evidence you can without putting yourself at risk. Take screenshots of the trip details in the app, including the driver's name, vehicle information, and trip route, before closing the app — this data may disappear or become inaccessible.
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