A lawsuit filed late last month against Uber claims that a passenger’s privacy was violated after she left her phone in an Uber vehicle. Specifically, the lawsuit claims that the driver found the woman’s phone, found explicit pictures, and uploaded those pictures onto the woman’s social media accounts.
The woman took the Uber in October 2017 after a night out with friends. According to the lawsuit, the Uber driver intentionally hacked into the rider’s phone, searched through her pictures, and posted them to her Instagram account. The woman sued the company, alleging that the driver knew that posting the photos would cause severe emotional harm to the woman. The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court.
Uber said the accusations in the lawsuit are troubling, and that the driver has not driven with Uber since October 2017. The driver also no longer has access to the Uber app.
Unfortunately, ride share companies are notorious for doing minimal background checks on their drivers in an effort to save money. These background checks often do not pick up criminal actions the drivers may have taken in the past. Their past driving history may also not be discovered. Also, since Uber and Lyft do not meet with drivers in person before hiring them, troubling behaviors that could be discovered upon talking with the drivers often go unnoticed.
Uber and Lyft should bear responsibility for the actions of their drivers. If you have been harmed by the wrongful actions of a driver for Uber or Lyft, you should speak with an attorney. Call me, Conal Doyle, Los Angeles personal injury attorney, at 310-385-0567. I can help. Call today to learn more or to schedule a free consultation.