Uber sexual assaults MDL overview:
- Who: Uber Technologies Inc. is facing a consolidated complaint.
- Why: Uber has allegedly known since 2014 that its drivers were sexually assaulting passengers yet has allegedly failed to put safety measures in place to try and stop it, according to claims made in the consolidated complaint.
- Where: The complaint was filed in California federal court.
A complaint consolidating hundreds of Uber lawsuits in a multidistrict litigation (MDL) alleges the company has known since 2014 that its rideshare drivers were perpetrating sexual assaults bit actively chose not to take safety measures to help stop the attacks.
The master complaint in a sprawling MDL alleges the company failed to take necessary steps to ensure its service was safe, such as mandating video cameras in vehicles or conducting enhanced background checks on drivers.
“Uber decided not to implement reasonable or traditional measures to protect passengers from dangerous drivers,” the lawsuit states.
The consolidated complaint argues Uber’s alleged decision not to take proper safety measures was driven by a desire for increased profits, with “the more drivers driving for Uber, the more money there was to be made.”
“The key to Uber’s competitiveness and profitability was and is to have as many drivers on the road as possible,” the Uber lawsuit states.
Uber lawsuit: Company markets itself as safe despite lack of safety measures
The master complaint claims Uber markets itself as a safe mode of transportation for women, despite failing to hire safety experts or put effort or money into figuring out how to prevent sexual assaults when it launched its service.
In total, there have been more than 10,000 sexual assaults involving Uber since the company began allowing drivers who do not possess taxi licenses to drive for the service, according to the Uber MDL.
“To this day, Uber’s efforts regarding safety are primarily focused on appearing safe, not actually being safe,” the Uber MDL states.
The MDL claims Uber is guilty of negligence, negligent hiring, negligent infliction of emotional distress, failure to warn and fraud and misrepresentation, among other things. The plaintiffs are demanding a jury trial and requesting declaratory and injunctive relief along with an award of compensatory and punitive damages.
A separate class action lawsuit was filed against Uber in February 2023 by a group of four Uber drivers arguing the company misclassified them as independent contractors.
Have you been victimized by your Uber driver? What do you think about the consolidation of the Uber lawsuits? Let us know in the comments.
The Uber sexual assaults MDL is 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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