In a striking legal move, a Nevada resident has filed a lawsuit against Uber Technologies, Inc., and its subsidiaries, alleging that the company failed to protect her from an assault by one of its drivers. The complaint was filed by Jane Doe JU.K. in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco, on April 3, 2025. It names Uber Technologies, Inc., Rasier, LLC, and Rasier-CA, LLC as defendants.
The lawsuit accuses Uber of general negligence, negligent hiring and supervision, common carrier negligence, negligent failure to warn, negligent infliction of emotional distress, and breach of contract. Jane Doe claims she was assaulted by an Uber driver during a ride she ordered through the company's app on April 18, 2015. According to the complaint, the driver took her to his apartment instead of her destination and forced her into unwanted sexual acts. The plaintiff argues that Uber is vicariously liable for the driver's actions due to its status as a common carrier under California law.
Jane Doe's complaint paints a damning picture of Uber's corporate culture and safety practices. It alleges that since at least 2014, Uber has been aware of numerous incidents where drivers have physically or sexually assaulted passengers but has failed to implement adequate safety measures. The lawsuit claims that Uber prioritized growth over passenger safety and maintained inadequate background checks for drivers. "Uber's response to these ongoing sexual assaults by Uber drivers has been slow and inadequate," states the complaint.
The plaintiff seeks damages for physical and psychological harm resulting from the alleged assault. She accuses Uber of failing to provide safe transportation despite knowing about previous incidents involving their drivers. The lawsuit also criticizes Uber's marketing practices for misleading customers into believing they were using a safe service while not disclosing known risks associated with using their platform.
Jane Doe is represented by Kathryn Forgie and Sommer D. Luther from Wagstaff Law Firm in Oakland, California. The case is assigned Case No. CGC-25-623972 in front of an unnamed judge at this time.