SAN FRANCISCO — A woman is alleging Lyft's lack of proper driver screening led to her being sexually assaulted during a ride in the San Diego area.
Jane Doe filed a complaint Feb. 3 in the Superior Court of California County of San Francisco against Lyft Inc., and Doe One alleging negligence, assault, sexual battery, false imprisonment and other claims.
Doe alleges in her complaint that she arranged for a ride through Lyft's ride-sharing app in the San Diego area on July 8, 2017, and was sexually assaulted by her driver. She claims in her suit that Lyft uses a "quick, name-based background check process" to screen its drivers and has "continuously refused" to use a fingerprint-based background process to screen drivers.
Doe further alleges that Lyft's "deficient" driver screening process puts passengers in danger and that Lyft "knows it has a sexual-assault problem." She also claims in her suit that a chatroom of ride-share drivers exists where they "openly" brag about their "access" to "hot young women" and that Lyft has a history of hiring sexual predators.
Doe states that Lyft has failed to adopt a "zero-tolerance" policy for improper driver conduct, failed to enforce having driver's surveillance systems kept on during all rides and failed to take other precautionary measures.
Doe seeks monetary relief, interest, trial by jury and all other just relief. She is represented by Walt Cubberly of Williams Hart Boundas Easterby LLP in Houston.
Superior Court of California County of San Francisco case number CGC-21-589616