New Jersey Uber & Lyft Sexual Assault Attorney

Transportation networks such as Uber and Lyft have become massively popular rideshare apps. As their apps rose in popularity, so did very serious concerns involving sexual assaults committed by rideshare drivers. 

Survivors of sexual assault deserve to be heard, and Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C. is proud to stand up on behalf of clients who are assault victims of rideshare drivers. If you are looking for answers about your rights and what to do next, you’ve come to the right place.

Contact Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C. today for a free and confidential consultation with a rideshare sexual assault lawyer in New Jersey, and hire us represent you with compassion, integrity, and tenacity. We accept rideshare sexual assault cases on a contingent fee basis meaning that you do not pay us a legal fee unless we win your case.

Understanding Rideshare Sexual Assault in New Jersey

If you were sexually assaulted while in a rideshare vehicle, know that you are not alone. These heinous attacks happen with alarming frequency. According to The New York Times, Uber alone receives a report of sexual misconduct or assault somewhere in the United States every eight minutes. In just two years, Uber and Lyft together publicly reported some 4,400 cases of sexual assault, including 52 deaths. The issue is so pervasive here in New Jersey that the state’s attorney general has investigated Uber over its handling of incident reports and whether it is misleading customers about the safety of its service.

As lawyers representing rideshare sexual assault survivors in New Jersey, Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C. shares your concerns. We want to do our part in holding Uber and Lyft accountable for the climate of abuse and violence that they have allegedly allowed by reason of negligent hiring, training and investigation. We can explain more about suing Lyft or Uber for a rideshare sexual assault claim during a free, confidential, no-pressure consultation. 

Your Legal Rights as a Survivor

As the survivor of sexual assault in a rideshare vehicle, your legal rights include:

1. The right to report the assault to law enforcement if and when you choose
2. The right to seek medical care and receive treatment for your injuries, including emotional and physiological injuries
3. The right to demand damages in the form of money from all at-fault parties, even if no criminal charges are filed or the accused is not convicted

A Lyft and Uber sexual assault attorney in NJ can help you assert these rights confidentially and at no upfront cost to you.

Criminal Charges vs. Civil Claims

Sexual assault can give rise to both criminal charges and civil claims, each of which serves its own purposes and proceeds on its own track within the court system.

Criminal charges are brought by the government to prosecute the person accused of the assault. A defendant found guilty of the crime faces penalties that can include imprisonment, probation, and registration on the sex offender list. The goal of a criminal justice system is to punish the perpetrator for the harm they’ve done to society by their actions.

A civil claim, on the other hand, is brought by the survivor of a sexual assault who is seeking money damages for the harm they suffered because of the assault. This can include medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering. The purpose of a civil claim is to win a financial settlement to offset the harm the perpetrator caused the survivor specifically, rather than society at large.

Survivors of rideshare sexual assault can pursue a civil claim whether or not the state brings criminal charges against the Uber or Lyft driver, and even if the accused is acquitted at trial, because the burden of proof is beyond a reasonable doubt which is much higher to win a criminal trial than a civil trial.

Holding Rideshare Companies Accountable

Uber and Lyft deliberately classify their drivers as independent contractors in an attempt to shield themselves from liability. They argue that this status means the companies are not responsible for crimes committed by independent drivers using their apps. However, a number of recent sex assault cases have pushed back on those claims, with attorneys arguing that because those drivers work for the company’s benefit, Uber is indeed responsible for their behavior. Moreover, they argue that Uber’s background checks are insufficient, and that they prioritize growth over safety which has led to lax vetting standards.

While the effectiveness of Uber’s background checks remains an open question, a federal jury in Arizona rejected Uber’s argument that it is not responsible for drivers on the app. Instead, the jury in that case found Uber liable for a driver who sexually assaulted a passenger, ordering that the company pay the survivor’s $8.5 million award.

With this in mind, rideshare abuse compensation in New Jersey can include money for your:

• Past and future medical expenses
• Mental health treatment and counseling costs
• Lost wages and diminished earning capacity
• Physical pain and emotional suffering
• Emotional distress, anxiety, depression, and PTSD
• Loss of enjoyment of life and diminished quality of life
• Under certain circumstances punitive damages

Immediate Steps to Protect Your Safety and Your Claim

There are a few key steps you can take to protect your safety and your right to compensation in a rideshare sexual assault lawsuit. First, report the assault to law enforcement, and notify Uber, Lyft, or the rideshare company through its app or customer support. However, do not give any further statements until you’ve consulted with an attorney experienced in suing Uber or Lyft.

Next, save as much information as you can. Take screenshots of your trip receipt, the driver’s profile, including any other communications related to the ride. Even if your memory is foggy, write down everything you can remember about the incident.

Next, contact a rideshare sexual assault attorney. Rideshare assault survivors have rights, and an experienced lawyer can help you assert them. Note that under current law, if you were over 18 at the time of being assaulted, you have up to seven years to file your Uber Lyft passenger assault lawsuit.  If you were under age 18, you may be able to sue Uber or Lyft for 37 years after you turn eighteen years of age.  However, the bottom line is that if you or a loved one were assaulted by an Uber or Lyft driver you should take action as soon as possible, as evidence may disappear or change.

Why Trust Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C. With Your Rideshare Sexual Assault Case

Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C. is proud to stand up for sexual assault survivors across New Jersey. Trust us to pursue accountability and compensation on your behalf because:

• Our firm has been operating since 1981 and has won over $1 billion in combined settlements and verdicts on behalf of our clients in that time.
• We have over 100 employees, including 25 personal injury lawyers, including attorneys. licensed to practice law in both New Jersey and New York, devoted to supporting your case. In our firm, 12 of our lawyers are Certified Civil Trial Attorneys with hard-won courtroom experience.
• Our attorneys and staff are fluent in over 11 languages to better serve our community, including Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Polish, and Greek.

We will not charge you anything up front to start work on your case and will only charge a fee if we win. What happened to you was wrong, and we do not think you should pay upfront for any out-of-pocket expenses to demand justice.

Proven Case Results in Abuse and Rideshare Litigation

The attorneys with Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C. have considerable experience handling cases involving sexual abuse as well as rideshare drivers. Among our many recoveries are:

• $700,000 for a client who was sexually molested by a school bus driver
• $554,201.57 for a client who was hit and injured by a rideshare driver

While past achievements do not guarantee future results, they speak to our law firm’s commitment on behalf of our clients. One of our clients had this to say about their experience with our legal team:

“These lawyers are great. Davis, Saperstein & Salomon are an amazing group of lawyers that have helped me out tremendously through the years. Very professional staff to help you and guide you through your situation.”

Read more of our client testimonials here. 

Contact Our Rideshare Sexual Assault Attorneys for Help

You do not have to go through this painful time alone. Instead, trust Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C. to support your rights and guide you toward justice. Contact us today for your free, no-pressure consultation with a rideshare sexual assault lawyer in New Jersey.