550 Passengers Allege Sexual Assault by Uber Drivers in Class Action Lawsuit

Uber, a popular rideshare company, has been sued for sexual assault in a class-action lawsuit. Approximately 550 clients have joined the class action lawsuit. More clients are being investigated and may join as plaintiffs to the lawsuit. The plaintiffs alleged that Uber knew that some of its drivers were sexually assaulting, raping, and sexually harassing customers and failed to take action to prevent ongoing attacks.

Uber’s Safety Report Shows a High Number of Sexual Assault Incidents

Uber released a U.S. Safety Report in June of 2021 that listed 998 sexual assault incidents, including 141 reports of rape. The company received 3,824 reports of the five most severe categories of sexual assault in 2019 and 2020. These categories range from “non-consensual kissing of a non-sexual body part” to “non-consensual sexual penetration” or rape.

The complaint in the recent lawsuit alleges that Uber became aware of its drivers sexually assaulting females as early as 2014. Despite this knowledge, Uber has allegedly failed to stop sexual predators driving for Uber from continuing to attack female passengers, including the following incidents:

  • A woman alleges that in February 2022, an Uber driver sexually assaulted and attempted to rape her in his vehicle during an Uber ride
  • A woman alleges that an Uber driver fondled and raped her in November 2021
  • A woman alleges that in August 2021, an Uber driver pressured her to sit in the vehicle’s front seat, after which he forcefully kissed her and then sexually assaulted her
  • In October 2021, an Uber driver allegedly raped a woman outside of Pittsburgh rather than take her to her destination safely
  • An Uber driver allegedly attempted to rape a female passenger in Boston in October 2021
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Uber/Lyft: 

This timeline includes the latest progress for the Uber / Lyft Mass Tort case, feel free to check back for more updates.

March 17, 2025

Amended Complaints Filed in Bellwether Cases

Amended complaints have been filed in all bellwether cases scheduled for trial, unless a global settlement is reached. These amended complaints provide a chance to review and compare the core facts of each case, which could influence the outcome of the litigation. The cases vary widely, from weak claims with no physical contact or criminal history to stronger cases, like Jane Doe QLF 001 v. Uber Technologies, where the victim was sexually assaulted by an Uber driver with a criminal record.

March 12, 2025

Master Order No. 3 on Privilege Log

Master Order No. 3 has been issued, setting rules for how Uber must handle privileged documents in the passenger sexual assault lawsuit. The order establishes a clear process for plaintiffs to challenge Uber’s privilege claims and ensures timely depositions, even if there are ongoing document disputes. This order prevents Uber from delaying the case by withholding key evidence, helping plaintiffs gather the information needed for depositions and further questioning under oath.

February 26, 2025

Bellwether Trial Selections Made

Plaintiffs’ lawyers and Uber’s legal team have each chosen ten lawsuits to be considered for the first bellwether trial. Bellwether trials are important in mass litigation as they help gauge the strength of both sides' cases. If plaintiffs win significant verdicts, Uber may be more likely to settle rather than risk more trial losses.

Will Uber settle? It’s likely. While the cases will be rigorously prepared for trial, including extensive discovery and expert testimony, Uber is unlikely to let any of its defense cases go before a jury. Based on past behavior, Uber’s legal team will probably aim to settle before facing the risks of a public trial and large verdicts.

February 4, 2025

MDL Adds 75 New Cases

January saw 75 new cases added to the Uber driver sexual abuse MDL, a significant rise compared to December, which had only half that number. The total number of cases in the MDL is now 1,562, with at least half of those pending in California state courts. The growing number of lawsuits is increasing pressure on Uber to settle.

February 2, 2025

Pretrial Discovery Disputes

The key to these rideshare sexual assault cases lies in the companies’ documents, particularly Uber’s marketing materials.

In a recent joint status report, plaintiffs emphasized that Uber's safety-related advertising is central to their fraud and non-fraud claims, arguing that Uber holds critical records to support their case. However, Uber has pushed back, claiming that fraud-based claims have already been dismissed due to a lack of specific allegations about reliance on marketing. Uber argues that general advertising is irrelevant unless a plaintiff can prove they personally saw and relied on the ads.

Key disputes in discovery include:

  • Bloc & Flow Reporting: Uber is still determining whether its internal marketing system tracks email engagement and if these reports can be produced.
  • Communication Logs: Plaintiffs are requesting detailed logs of marketing messages sent to individual bellwether plaintiffs, but Uber argues such records don't exist in the requested format.
  • Marketing Document Declaration: Plaintiffs want a sworn statement about Uber’s historical and current marketing archives, similar to declarations ordered on policy disclosures.
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Victims are Pursuing Compensation for Their Injuries

When victims can prove that Uber’s negligence resulted in the incident that caused them injury or harm, they can obtain economic and non-economic damages from Uber. In a press statement, Uber claims they have taken every sexual assault report seriously. They also claim they have built new safety features, been more transparent about serious incidents, and established survivor-centric policies.

In sexual assault cases involving employers, the plaintiffs must prove that the employer knew or should have known about an unreasonable risk of harm to customers. Additionally, they must prove that the defendant failed to take the necessary steps to prevent harm. Uber drivers are considered independent contractors, which can make holding Uber accountable for drivers’ actions challenging. Nonetheless, there have been multiple lawsuits through which plaintiffs have held Uber accountable for its drivers’ misconduct.

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The Lawsuit Alleges That Uber Has Failed to Protect Drivers

Many reports of sexual assault indicate that Uber has failed to protect its customers. Uber did not use traditional background check standards when hiring drivers to fuel new growth as quickly as possible. At one point, the CEO chose not to run fingerprint tests or their information through FBI databases. Uber has also used a policy not to report criminal activity to law enforcement authorities.
In 2018, Uber publicly acknowledged the problem of sexual assault but had not taken practical steps that could prevent assault, such as installing video cameras in vehicles, performing better background checks, and creating a warning system when drivers veer from the path to the destination.

How Do Class Action Lawsuits Work?

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Have You Been Sexually Assaulted by an Uber Driver? We are Here to Help

Have you or a loved one been sexually assaulted, raped, or sexually harassed by an Uber driver? If so, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. The Alabama sexual harassment attorneys at Heninger Garrison Davis understand how difficult it is to come forward and discuss traumatizing experiences. Our empathetic attorneys will carefully listen to the details of your case. We fight hard to hold sexual harassers and the companies who employ them accountable for their actions. Contact Heninger Garrison Davis today to schedule your free initial consultation and discuss your case with a skilled attorney. We will help you understand your legal options and whether you may have a right to pursue compensation from Uber for your injuries.

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