Thousands of riders have taken legal action claiming they were subjected to sexual assault, harassment, or other misconduct by rideshare drivers. Most allegations center on Uber, with Lyft also facing claims involving poor screening and oversight, lack of proper safety measures, insufficient warnings, and misleading safety assurances. This overview explains who may be eligible, current MDL and state-court developments, expected timelines, and how to start a claim.

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Who Can Pursue a Sexual Misconduct Lawsuit Against Uber or Lyft

• Any form of sexual assault or misconduct during an Uber or Lyft ride, including assault, attempted assault, unwanted touching, groping, or harassment.
• A prior report made to police, a healthcare provider, or directly through the rideshare platform (via in-app report, support message, email, etc.) — not required but can strengthen the claim.
• Basic trip information, such as the ride’s date, city, approximate time, pickup/dropoff locations, or driver details, along with ride receipts from the app.
• Filing within your state’s legal deadline, including any extended statute-of-limitations windows for adult or childhood sexual assault.
• Emotional harm documentation, including therapy or counseling records, can help establish damages even when physical injuries are minimal or absent.

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Claims Being Raised and Injuries Reported

• Negligence: failures in hiring, retaining, supervising drivers, or warning riders about known safety risks.
• Misrepresentation / safety marketing: allegedly leaving out key information or promoting misleading safety claims regarding background checks and rider protection.
• Platform design flaws: lack of adequate in-app safety tools such as PIN verification, audio or video capture, geofencing alerts, emergency/SOS features, or flags for repeat offenders.
• Injuries: psychological harm such as PTSD, anxiety, depression, sleep issues, and disruptions to work or schooling; physical injuries when present.
• Compensation: coverage for counseling and medical expenses, lost wages, diminished quality of life, and punitive damages when permitted by law.

Settlement Prospects & What Influences Case Value

Given the bellwether positioning and the claims of widespread safety breakdowns, significant settlements are anticipated in certain cases, though amounts will differ greatly depending on individual circumstances. Key factors affecting value include:

• Severity and supporting evidence: timely reports, medical or therapy documentation, witness accounts, and ride data such as GPS or trip records.
• Driver background: earlier complaints, criminal history, gaps in screening, or repeated assignments despite red flags.
• Company awareness and actions: internal safety data, how reports were handled, withheld or privileged documents, and lobbying or policy records.
• Location and jury patterns: stronger venues like NY, CA, IL, and GA; extended filing windows under state revival laws for sexual assault may broaden claims.
• Financial impact: ongoing counseling costs, disability, and disruptions to employment or education.

Disclaimer: For informational purposes only — prior case results do not guarantee or forecast outcomes in any specific claim.

Claim Deadlines & Statute of Limitations Rules

Most personal-injury claims must be filed within 2–3 years, but revival statutes for adult or childhood sexual assault, as well as discovery-rule exceptions, can lengthen the filing window. Certain jurisdictions also require pre-suit or government-notice filings when a public entity is involved. Consult an attorney as soon as possible to protect your legal rights.

Uber and Lyft Sexual Misconduct Lawsuit News™

Last updated December 2025.

• November 4, 2025:
• The Uber sexual assault MDL now includes 2,783 active cases heading into early November.
• October 3, 2025:
• Jurors in a California Uber assault case asked the judge to clarify what legally counts as a “substantial factor,” indicating uncertainty over whether Uber’s alleged negligence actually caused the plaintiff’s harm.
• October 1, 2025:
• A California jury found Uber negligent in a 2016 assault claim but concluded the company’s actions were not a substantial contributing factor, resulting in no liability.
• September 29, 2025:
• A discovery hearing was scheduled to resolve disputes over depositions, document production, and materials tied to related proceedings in the Uber assault MDL.
• September 26, 2025:
• Deliberations began in a California Uber assault case, where the plaintiff’s attorney requested $21.8 million plus punitive damages.
• September 25, 2025:
• A House subcommittee launched an inquiry into Uber’s handling of sexual assault reports following concerns about widespread underreporting.
• September 24, 2025:
• Uber asked the court to impose sanctions after leaked sealed documents appeared in the New York Times, seeking assurances that plaintiffs’ counsel were not involved.
• September 22, 2025:
• Two MDL bellwether cases were sent to North Carolina under Judge Breyer. The first federal bellwether trial in California is scheduled for January 7, 2026.
• September 18, 2025:
• An Uber statistician testified that 70% of sexual misconduct reports involve non-assaultive conduct, though thousands of assaults still occur annually.
• September 18, 2025:
• The jury heard evidence that Uber delayed rolling out its female-driver option, despite data showing female passengers faced four times the assault risk with male drivers.
• September 17, 2025:
• A Texas woman filed suit alleging she was sexually assaulted by an Uber driver in Georgetown, Williamson County, on March 15, 2025.
• September 15, 2025:
• Testimony continued in a California trial, with witnesses asserting Uber prioritized aggressive expansion while knowing about sexual assault risks as early as 2016.
• September 12, 2025:
• Uber’s former global safety chief was confronted with emails suggesting the company moved slowly on safety features while scaling its operations rapidly.
• September 11, 2025:
• The judge excluded internal messages where a communications executive allegedly joked about “trashing rape victims.”
• September 10, 2025:
• The first bellwether trial began in California, involving allegations that Uber downplayed assault numbers and failed to introduce obvious safety measures following a 2019 assault on an 18-year-old rider.
• September 2, 2025:
• At an MDL hearing, Uber faced renewed pressure to turn over the “Flack” dataset, with the court showing flexibility on certain evidence deadlines.
• September 1, 2025:
• A Florida woman joined the MDL, alleging an Uber driver sexually assaulted her during a May 29, 2024, ride from Jacksonville Beach to Yulee.
• August 24, 2025:
• A New York plaintiff filed into the MDL, claiming she was assaulted in the Bronx on September 1, 2022.
• August 14, 2025:
• The first MDL bellwether was set for December 8, 2025, in Dean v. Uber, involving allegations of rape by a driver with prior complaints. Additional Wave 1 and Wave 2 trials were also scheduled.
• August 6, 2025:
• A New York Times investigation reported Uber logged 400,000 sexual misconduct complaints (2017–2022) and avoided implementing several safety tools that could have lowered assault rates.
• July 28, 2025:
• At a CMC, the court set August 12 as the deadline for bellwether-order briefing and requested the parties’ positions on multi-district trial venues. Next CMC: August 22.
• July 23, 2025:
• Expectations of major settlements increased in both the MDL and the California JCCP given the factual record and allegations of systemic safety failures.
• July 9, 2025:
• One bellwether case was dismissed; some marketing-fraud counts were narrowed, but the fraud-by-omission theory survived.
• July 8, 2025:
• A newly filed Louisiana case alleged sexual assault during a New Orleans Uber ride, raising negligence and product-design claims.
• July 1, 2025:
• The MDL reached 2,359 cases; California’s JCCP exceeded 600 filings. Combined totals neared 3,000 lawsuits.
• June 28, 2025:
• The court reaffirmed the Bellwether Deposition Protocol and outlined a briefing schedule on subpoenas related to litigation funding.
• June 18, 2025:
• Eight plaintiffs filed a California action accusing Uber of knowing about sexual assault incidents since 2014 and failing to implement effective safeguards.
• June 7, 2025:
• The MDL totaled 2,229 cases, while the CA JCCP reached 619, pushing combined filings past 2,800.
• June 5, 2025:
• Subpoenas were issued to Checkr and Accurate Background as plaintiffs sought access to driver-screening records.
• June 2, 2025:
• Judge Gail Andler was appointed Settlement Master, and settlement discussions began.
• May 20–26, 2025:
• Multiple California filings came in, and Uber requested that 13 of 20 bellwether cases be transferred to the locations where the incidents occurred.
• May 15–13, 2025:
• Discovery orders under Rule 30(b)(6) were issued; the court declined to impose time limits, and case-specific discovery moved forward.
• May 8, 2025:
• The first bellwether trial group of six cases was created. Fact discovery must be substantially complete by July 16, with the first trial set for December 8, 2025.
• April 22–May 2, 2025:
• The MDL surpassed 2,062 cases. The FTC filed a separate lawsuit against Uber regarding Uber One cancellation practices.
• January–April 2025 (highlights):
• Rapid MDL expansion (from 1,562 to 1,600+ cases); appointment of a Special Master for privilege issues; court-ordered production of safety-incident data (GPS, trip details); repeated rulings rejecting broad privilege assertions; ongoing bellwether selection.
• Late 2024 (highlights):
• Court ordered production of all 21 categories of incident data; set deposition standards; issued subpoenas to Lyft for ISSP custodians; MDL grew past 1,400 cases; initial bellwether framework introduced and later refined in 2025.

This section is refreshed each month with new MDL developments, major filings, and recent trial outcomes.

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How a Rideshare Sexual Assault Lawsuit Moves Forward

1. Free Consultation: Gather ride information, any prior reports, and relevant medical or therapy records.
2. Filing Your Claim: Submit in the MDL (N.D. Cal.) or in coordinated state-court proceedings where available.
3. Discovery Phase: Collect trip logs, GPS data, driver background checks, internal safety documents, and corporate deposition testimony.
4. Bellwether Trials: Early test cases—first set scheduled for December 8, 2025—help establish potential settlement values.
5. Resolution: Cases may conclude through settlements negotiated by a mediator or Settlement Master, or via jury verdicts.

Information Sources & Safety Records

• Uber U.S. Safety Reports (2019 & 2022): Overview of incident types and reporting methodology.
• Court Documents & MDL Orders: Discovery rules, privilege decisions, and bellwether trial schedules.
• Government and Legislative Sources: Materials on rideshare driver background checks and safety regulations.