Uber Sexual Assault Lawsuits

Thousands of people have filed lawsuits against Uber, claiming that the rideshare giant is to blame for sexual assaults because the company didn’t do enough to screen drivers or promote safety.

Lawsuits argue that Uber prioritized rapid growth over passenger safety, classifying drivers as contractors rather than employees and relying on inadequate background checks to build a massive fleet.

A major point of emphasis in these cases is Uber’s vetting process compared to the taxi industry it has eaten into. Historically, prospective taxi drivers go through a stringent background check process that includes fingerprinting to check against criminal databases, submitting to an alcohol and drug test and completing written and driving exams.

According to thousands of lawsuits, Uber has bypassed much of that process for its contracted drivers. There are no drug or alcohol tests. Drivers are not checked against the FBI database used by taxi companies. There are no online or in-person meetings, and limited personal information is required to apply.

“At every step, Uber’s approach to safety reflected its dominant goals of recruiting riders and drivers with as little friction as possible,” the master complaint for these lawsuits states. “Uber chose to achieve growth at the expense of women’s safety.”

Lawsuits claim that these low safety standards left passengers vulnerable to driver sexual assaults. They argue that Uber was also lax in removing drivers who had been accused of assault, typically requiring multiple sexual assault complaints before terminating a driver.

The amount of money a driver was bringing in for Uber played a role in these decisions, with certain drivers receiving three or four sexual assault complaints before being removed.

The Uber “Safe Rides Fee”

One key issue cited in lawsuits is Uber’s implementation of a Safe Rides Fee in 2014. This was a simple $1 fee added to each ride that the company said would go toward “continued efforts to ensure the safest possible platform for Uber riders.”

Uber specifically mentioned its background check process and the development of safety features as benefits from the new fee.

But lawsuits argue that the money never went toward safety. Instead, it simply netted a significant revenue boost for the company after it was applied to hundreds of millions of rides.

“[W]e boosted our margins saying our rides were safer,” one former Uber employee said per the lawsuits.

The company also eventually agreed to pay $28.5 million to settle a class action lawsuit over marketing its background check process as “industry-leading.”

Anyone who experienced sexual assault while using Uber may be eligible to file an Uber lawsuit. This includes claims ranging from unwanted touching to rape or kidnapping. Rideshare passengers or drivers who experienced violence or sexual assault during a trip should schedule a consultation with an attorney to discuss their options.

“The plaintiffs in these cases are only those people who have experienced sexual assault, harassment or kidnapping and do not include individuals who experienced non-sexual conduct (i.e., verbal altercation, carjacking) and do not include individuals who were assaulted by another passenger,” attorney Sam Hoefs told Consumer Notice.

An important first step is to speak with an attorney who has experience successfully litigating this type of personal injury case. During your consultation, the attorney will evaluate any evidence you have of the trip, such as ride receipts, and explore possible approaches to seeking compensation.

Some rideshare lawsuits have been filed anonymously. For example, they listed the plaintiff as Jane Doe instead of making the name of the person who filed the lawsuit public.

Preserving Your Evidence

If you are considering filing an Uber or Lyft sexual assault lawsuit, start by gathering any documents or evidence that your legal representative may ask for as part of your case.

One key document to look for is your digital receipt showing that you used Uber for the ride in question.

Any medical records or bills related to the incident could also be useful.

So far, two Uber sexual assault lawsuits have gone to trial. The first, which took place in California state court in September, ended in a win for Uber. It involved a woman who claimed that a driver groped and kissed her during a ride. She went on to receive treatment for PTSD and eventually dropped out of college.

The jury determined that the company had been negligent, but not to the degree that it contributed to the assault. This was a rather unusual verdict in cases like this one.

A second trial took place in early 2026 and resulted in a more significant verdict. In that case, involving a woman who said she was raped by a driver, the jury ordered Uber to pay $8.5 million.

More losses for Uber could put significant pressure on the company to agree to a wider settlement for these cases.

Uber has not yet agreed to a global settlement for the sexual assault lawsuits. Whether a settlement is agreed to and how much it is worth will hinge heavily on the outcome of the cases that go to trial.

These early trials are known as bellwether cases. They give both sides the chance to test the strength of their arguments in front of a jury.

If Uber were to lose more trials like its $8.5 million loss in February, the company could become motivated to negotiate a settlement for thousands of other lawsuits. They may consider this a stronger option than risking additional major losses in court.

As of March 2026, there are 3,291 Uber sexual assault lawsuits pending in MDL 3084. These cases are from across the country and have been grouped before one judge for coordinated proceedings.

This is a commonly used legal procedure when hundreds or thousands of similar lawsuits are filed against a company like Uber.

Two Uber lawsuits have gone to trial so far, with the company winning the first and being ordered to pay out $8.5 million in the second. The next trial is expected to begin in April.