A shocking lawsuit has been filed against a major ride-sharing company, alleging that the corporation failed to protect its passengers from sexual assault by its drivers. The complaint was filed by Jane Doe PWP 081 in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco, on December 4, 2024, against Lyft, Inc.
The plaintiff, identified as Jane Doe PWP 081, accuses Lyft of general negligence and various other legal violations after she was allegedly sexually assaulted by a Lyft driver on December 12, 2023. According to the complaint, Lyft has been aware since at least 2015 that some of its drivers have sexually assaulted female passengers but has not taken adequate steps to prevent such incidents. The lawsuit claims that "Lyft continues to hire drivers without performing adequate background checks" and fails to implement reasonable safety measures. Jane Doe alleges that while using the Lyft service for transportation between Arkansas and Tennessee, she was attacked by a driver named Sahelemariam who groped her and made inappropriate comments during the ride.
The lawsuit details multiple accusations against Lyft including negligent hiring and supervision of drivers, failure to warn passengers about potential risks, and vicarious liability for the actions of its drivers. It highlights how Lyft's business model prioritizes profits over passenger safety by failing to conduct thorough background checks or monitor rides effectively. The plaintiff also points out misleading safety assurances made by Lyft in its marketing materials despite being aware of ongoing assaults by its drivers.
Jane Doe is seeking compensatory damages for both economic losses and emotional distress caused by the alleged assault. Additionally, she demands punitive damages to penalize Lyft for what she describes as reckless disregard for passenger safety. The complaint emphasizes that despite repeated incidents and complaints from victims like herself, Lyft has not implemented necessary precautions such as biometric fingerprinting or real-time monitoring systems which could have prevented such attacks.
Representing Jane Doe are attorneys Rachel B. Abrams and Adam B. Wolf from Peiffer Wolf Carr Kane Conway & Wise LLP based in San Francisco. The case is being heard under Case ID CGC-24-620268 with no specific judge assigned yet.