Uber Faces Legal Battle Over Alleged Assaults by Drivers
In a significant legal development, two women have filed a lawsuit against Uber Technologies, Inc., accusing the company of negligence and misrepresentation following alleged assaults by Uber drivers. The complaint was filed in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco, on January 19, 2024, targeting Uber Technologies and its subsidiaries Rasier, LLC and Rasier-CA, LLC.
The plaintiffs, identified as Jane Doe NLG 58 (M.H.) and Jane Doe NLG 59 (C.P.), allege that they were assaulted by Uber drivers during rides arranged through the Uber app. The lawsuit claims that Uber's corporate culture prioritizes growth over passenger safety, resulting in an environment where sexual assaults by drivers are alarmingly frequent. According to the complaint, "Uber has been fully aware of these continuing attacks by sexual predators driving for Uber," yet their response has been "slow and inadequate." The plaintiffs accuse Uber of general negligence, negligent hiring and supervision, common carrier negligence, failure to warn passengers of potential dangers, intentional misrepresentation regarding safety measures, and breach of contract.
The plaintiffs assert that despite being aware of numerous incidents since at least 2014 where female passengers were assaulted by drivers, Uber failed to implement adequate safety measures. They argue that the company's background checks are insufficient and do not include fingerprinting or checking against FBI records. Furthermore, they claim that Uber does not report criminal activities involving its drivers to law enforcement unless compelled by a subpoena. The complaint highlights that "Uber's policy is that it will not report any criminal activity it learns of to law-enforcement authorities," which allegedly contributes to a culture where drivers feel emboldened to commit such acts.
The plaintiffs seek damages exceeding $25,000 for each cause of action listed in their complaint. They demand punitive damages for what they describe as "wanton and reckless disregard for the safety" of passengers like themselves. Additionally, they request changes in how Uber conducts background checks and supervises its drivers to prevent future incidents.
Representing the plaintiffs are attorneys John Raggio and Arati Furness from Nachawati Law Group based in Dallas, Texas. The case is presided over by an unnamed judge under Case ID CGC-24-619915.