Uber sexual assault trial verdict overview:
- Who: A federal jury in North Carolina awarded a woman $5,000 in nominal damages.
- Why: The woman argued she had been sexually assaulted by her Uber driver at the end of a ride in 2019.
- Where: The case is in North Carolina federal court.
- How to get help: Have you or a loved one been sexually assaulted by an Uber or Lyft driver? You may qualify to make a claim.
A federal jury in Charlotte, North Carolina, has reportedly awarded $5,000 in nominal damages to a woman who argued she was sexually assaulted by her Uber driver at the end of a ride in 2019.
The Uber sexual assault case is part of a larger multidistrict litigation against Uber involving passengers who claim they were sexually assaulted or harassed by their drivers during rides, reports Law360.
The jury in the North Carolina case found that the passenger had been sexually assaulted. She reportedly argued during trial that her driver had asked her to sit in the front seat of his car and, upon arriving at her destination, grabbed a “handful” of her upper thigh and asked if he could keep it with him.
U.S. District Judge Charles R. Breyer previously determined that Uber was a common carrier under the law in North Carolina, meaning it had a “non-delegable duty” to safely transport passengers, reports Law360.
Due to this, the jury reportedly had to determine whether the driver had sexually assaulted the plaintiff and whether she was entitled to recover damages from Uber for the alleged emotional distress she suffered.
Uber, Lyft face growing number of sexual assault lawsuits
The Uber sexual assault lawsuit was among a growing number of lawsuits filed against Uber and fellow rideshare company Lyft by passengers claiming they experienced misconduct or sexual assault from their driver.
Individuals may qualify to join a rideshare lawsuit if an assault or misconduct occurred during an Uber ride since 2009 or a Lyft ride since 2012, and if the incident took place while the driver was working in an official capacity, either before, during or shortly after providing the ride.
Have you or a loved one been sexually assaulted by an Uber or Lyft driver? You may qualify to make a claim.
The plaintiff is represented by Sejal Brahmbhatt and John Boundas of Williams Hart & Boundas LLP, William L. Smith and Alexandra M. Walsh of Anapol Weiss, Sarah R. London and Andrew Kaufman of Girard Sharp LLP, An Truong and Ellyn H. Hurd of Simmons Hanly Conroy LLP, Rachel B. Abrams of Peiffer Wolf Carr Kane Conway & Wise LLP, and Roopal P. Luhana of Chaffin Luhana LLP.
The Uber sexual assault lawsuit is WHB 823 v. Uber Technologies Inc., et al., Case No. 3:25-cv-00737, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina, and In re: Uber Technologies Inc. Passenger Sexual Assault Litigation, Case No. 3:23-md-03084, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
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