A woman is suing Uber in Los Angeles Superior Court following an alleged assault in 2017. The lawsuit claims the assault occurred while she was riding in Uber and was intoxicated.
The woman, who is only identified as Jane Doe, filed the lawsuit late last month, alleging sexual battery, negligence, negligent infliction of emotional distress, and intentional and negligent misrepresentation. The lawsuit is seeking damages in an unspecific amount.
The plaintiff claims that she attended a wedding in Glendale in October 2017 and became intoxicated. She lived less than a mile away, so a friend arranged for an Uber driver to take her to her home. The woman was picked up by an Uber driver about 1:10 a.m. The driver did not take the woman home, and instead drove her to a gas station and persuaded her to get in the front seat of his vehicle. The driver then began trying to kiss the woman despite her protests. She claims he drove to a side street, took her clothes off, and touched her inappropriately as she begged to be taken home.
The driver later dropped the woman off near her home. Instead, she sat at a bus stop crying hysterically until a police officer stopped to check on her and took her to receive medical care. The driver was arrested and charged with three felonies, but he failed to appear in court and has likely fled the country. The victim sued Uber for her damages, claiming that the company collected and retained a fee from the trip which resulted in a sexual assault.
Unfortunately, similar stories of this type of behavior from rideshare drivers abound. Uber and Lyft have been accused of doing a poor job on background checks on their drivers, which can result in tragedy for passengers. If you have been harmed by an Uber or a Lyft driver, you should speak with an attorney. Call me, Conal Doyle, Los Angeles rideshare injury attorney, at 310-385-0567. I can help. Call today to learn more or to schedule a free consultation on your case.