In a shocking lawsuit filed in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco, on January 28, 2025, three individuals have accused a major ridesharing company of negligence and failure to protect its drivers from sexual assault. The plaintiffs, A.A., J.C., and T.S., allege that they were sexually assaulted by passengers while working as drivers for Uber Technologies, Inc. and its subsidiary Rasier, LLC.
The complaint, brought forth by attorneys Jennifer R. Liakos of Liakos Law APC and Eric Chaffin along with Roopal P. Luhana and Nicholas Farnolo from Chaffin Luhana LLP, details a series of disturbing incidents involving the plaintiffs. According to the filing, Plaintiff A.A., residing in Illinois at the time, was allegedly assaulted by a passenger in Chicago on January 28, 2023. Similarly, Plaintiff J.C. from Ohio claims he faced unwanted advances during a ride in Cincinnati on February 12, 2023. Meanwhile, Plaintiff T.S., based in Missouri, recounts an encounter with an intoxicated passenger who allegedly assaulted him during a ride in Springfield on February 22, 2023.
The plaintiffs argue that Uber failed to implement adequate safety measures despite being aware of the risks posed to its drivers by passengers. They accuse Uber of general negligence and common carrier negligence under California law. Furthermore, they assert that Uber's lack of action constitutes negligent failure to warn its drivers about potential dangers associated with their work environment.
In addition to negligence claims, the lawsuit also charges Uber with vicarious liability for sexual assault and battery committed by passengers against the plaintiffs. The plaintiffs allege that Uber’s marketing falsely represented its services as safe and reliable despite knowledge of prior incidents involving driver assaults.
The lawsuit seeks various forms of relief including compensatory damages for emotional distress and economic losses suffered by the plaintiffs due to these incidents. Additionally, it demands punitive damages aimed at deterring similar conduct by Uber or other companies in the future.
Representing this case are attorneys Jennifer R. Liakos from Liakos Law APC alongside Eric Chaffin and his team from Chaffin Luhana LLP. The case is presided over by Judge Sahar Enayati under Case ID CGC-25-621863.