The ride-share company Uber is facing more than 550 civil lawsuits concerning sexual assault, kidnapping, and abuse from its drivers. The suits have been filed in San Francisco County Superior Court and include claims from women in multiple states.
Allegations Against Uber
The lawsuits allege that Uber was reluctant to implement safety measures as well as background checks for prospective Uber drivers. Additionally, it’s been alleged that Uber has failed to report sexual assaults to law enforcement officials.
Uber has long struggled to handle complaints of misconduct on the ride-sharing app. Just two weeks ago, the company released its second safety report that showed it received 3,824 reports of the five most severe categories of sexual assault in 2019 and 2020, ranging from “non-consensual kissing of a nonsexual body part” to “nonconsensual sexual penetration,” or rape.
Uber has faced several lawsuits against it from women alleging sexual assault by drivers. In 2018, it agreed to settle a class action case brought by two women who claim they were taken advantage of by drivers after they had consumed alcohol. Uber has long defended itself by asserting that it can’t be held responsible for the behavior of its drivers, who aren’t employees but rather contractors. In its recent safety report, Uber said it conducts elaborate background checks of drivers before and during their time with the company.
If you or a loved one has been assaulted by any rideshare driver, please contact us immediately for a free initial consultation.
