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 joi 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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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.
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?
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.