When a sexual assault happens during an Uber, Lyft or other rideshare in San Diego, the victim of the sexual assault does not have to just resort to criminal courts to seek justice. The victim can seek compensation for medical bills (including counselling and other therapy), lost wages, pain and suffering, and even punitive damages in a civil action. Typically these actions are filed against the ride share company itself along with the assailant and often this triggers the insurance policy for the Uber or Lyft to provide coverage for these damages.
In 2019, Uber released a safety report noting that there were 3,045 sexual assaults that occurred during rides in the United States in 2018. Nine people were murdered and 58 people were killed in crashes. In 2017, Uber reported 2,936 sexual assaults according to a New York Times article.
Uber has grown into the largest rideshare provider in the world. In the United States alone, they provide over 40 million rides per month to users of their app. As one of the biggest rideshare providers, there have been significant issues with who is allowed to drive for Uber and how serious crimes such as sexual assaults are allowed to occur at the hands of an Uber driver.
Our office has successfully represented the victims of serious crimes, including sexual assault, throughout the United States. As a former prosecuting attorney, Tom Rist understands the criminal process and how it can often leave victims feeling like justice was not served. Complicating matters further, in many sexual assault cases there is not enough evidence for a prosecutor to take the case forward. Denials that anything happened, lies about consent, and sometimes the intoxication of the sexual assault victim are all used as defenses to justice being served. In a civil case, tools such as discovery and aggressive depositions of the assailant can be used to pressure insurance companies to do the right thing and pay compensation to crime victims.
There is no charge to discuss a potential case with an Uber Sexual Assault Victim. Importantly, all calls to our office are kept strictly confidential. All crime victim cases are accepted on a contingency fee basis, which means there is no fee unless your case is won at trial or settled. For more information about how we can help with a crime victim case or to speak to a lawyer today, call us at (619) 377-4660.