What to Know About the Latest Uber Sexual Assault Trial
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Another trial centered on claims that Uber failed to protect its passengers from driver sexual assaults is set to get underway this week. The trial, which is the third Uber sexual assault lawsuit to go before a jury, will be closely watched as it is one of thousands of active cases.
It involves a 2019 incident where the anonymous plaintiff says that she took an Uber ride in Raleigh, North Carolina. At the conclusion of the ride, the woman says that her driver grabbed her inner thigh and made an inappropriate comment.
The case is what is known as a bellwether trial, serving as a representative of the larger Uber sexual assault litigation. Its outcome could have a big impact on many other active lawsuits.
Uber Hit With $8.5 Million Verdict in Most Recent Sexual Assault Trial
This week’s trial is a big moment for the Uber lawsuits, as it comes on the heels of the rideshare company suffering a critical loss in this litigation.
In February, a Phoenix jury ordered Uber to pay $8.5 million to a woman who said that she was raped by her rideshare driver. But while that win was a massive boon for women who have filed lawsuits, it wasn’t a complete victory.
The jury declined to award any punitive damages, which are meant to punish the defendant and often account for much of the payout to a plaintiff. Bloomberg reported at the time that the plaintiff in that case had initially asked for more than $140 million in combined damages.
In fall 2025, Uber prevailed in the only other sexual assault lawsuit to go before a jury so far. That state court jury determined that Uber had been negligent but not to a degree that it contributed to the incident in question, where a woman said she was groped and kissed by her Uber driver.
Those mixed results have put a significant spotlight on this week’s trial. A win for the plaintiff would be welcome news for thousands of other cases, as multiple losses could encourage Uber to negotiate a settlement for this litigation instead of taking more cases to trial.
At the start of April, there were nearly 3,400 Uber sexual assault lawsuits in federal court. Hundreds of others have been filed in state court as well.
Lyft Lawsuits Claim Popular Rideshare Service Failed to Protect Customers
Uber is not the only rideshare giant facing claims that it prioritized profits over customer safety. Lyft is also at the center of thousands of similar lawsuits advancing in both federal and state courts.
In February, multiple Lyft sexual assault lawsuits were coordinated in multidistrict litigation (MDL).
This is where similar lawsuits are grouped together before one judge. This allows for more streamlined legal proceedings, which can lead to faster results. MDLs are often used when many more cases are expected to be filed.
The Lyft lawsuits are not as advanced as the Uber cases. So far, none have advanced to trial. More rideshare lawsuits are expected to be filed in the coming months.
