Uber is under fire as three more women have come forward to file a lawsuit against the ride-hailing giant alleging that their drivers sexually assaulted and raped female passengers, nearly two months after London banned the company following a series of sexual assault scandals in the capital of the U.K.
Uber, which is no stranger to battling lawsuits that allege its drivers sexually assault and harass female passengers, is being accused of poor background checks and allowing drivers with prior histories of gender-motivated violence and sexual misconduct to transport passengers for the multi-billion dollar company.
The ever-increasing number of sexual assault incidents involving Uber drivers have prompted many women in Long Beach and all across our nation to use alternative taxi services.
However, the risk of being sexually harassed or assaulted by male drivers exists in pretty much all ride-hailing companies and traditional taxi services, a sexual abuse attorney at JML Law warns.
Is Uber responsible for sexual assault
On Thursday, an unnamed female passenger of Uber filed a lawsuit alleging that the driver, who had a “documented history of sexual and gender-motivated violence,” raped and sexually assaulted her.
The accused driver was charged twice in 2006 – with domestic battery and for “annoying or molesting a child under 18” – and yet Uber allowed him to work for the ride-hailing company, which is valued at $68 billion.
Uber also ignored the fact that the driver had been served a restraining order for other charges in 2009. Sexual assault attorneys for the unnamed client are suing Uber and urging the multi-billion company to “take immediate action to prevent another tragedy like this from happening again.”
The new sexual assault allegations come just two days after two women filed a separate lawsuit against Uber, alleging that the company’s poor driver background checks left them and millions of female passengers across the globe vulnerable to sexual assault on the streets of Long Beach, Los Angeles and elsewhere in the U.S. and beyond.
Fact: Uber is operating in about 70 countries, and driver background checks in the U.S. are considered more or less strict as compared to other countries.
How to sue Uber for sexual assault in Long Beach
Our sexual harassment attorney at JML Law explains that the ever-increasing number of Uber passengers may be motivated by the #MeToo campaign, which was triggered by the latest outpour of sexual misconduct allegations in Hollywood, to come forward and reveal the atrocities of Uber drivers.
The most recent lawsuits were filed in San Francisco, California, where the number of victims of sexual assault by Uber drivers who give them rides home has skyrocketed in recent years.
California – as well as other states, including Massachusetts, Maryland, and Texas – have previously launched investigations into Uber after dozens of sexual assault victims have come forward to accuse the ride-hailing giant of failing to adequately screen drivers.
Moreover, Uber is being accused of hiring drivers with criminal histories. The booming #MeToo campaign against sexual misconduct predators and California’s rising concerns about passenger safety with Uber may prompt the state to ban the company from operating in the most populous state in the U.S., similar to what London did in September after a series of sexual assault scandals.
Uber has repeatedly vowed to take all sexual assault allegations seriously, while attorneys for victims urge the company to introduce safety measures such as strict driver background checks with fingerprints and adding a panic button in the app that would alert both Uber and police if a passenger is concerned about his/her safety during the ride.
If you or any of your friends or family members were assaulted by an Uber driver, don’t hesitate to consult our Long Beach sexual assault attorney at JML Law to find out your best course of action to sue Uber for inadequate background checks and secure compensation for your damages, pain, and suffering.
