Sexual Assault in an Uber

If you or someone you love was sexually assaulted while riding in an Uber, you are not alone, and you may have a legal right to significant financial compensation. A groundbreaking federal jury verdict in February 2026 confirmed what thousands of survivors have been saying for years: Uber can and should be held accountable.

Rideshare apps like Uber promise convenience and safety. For millions of passengers, that promise has been broken in the most devastating way imaginable. Newly revealed court documents, landmark trial verdicts, and ongoing federal litigation have exposed the staggering scale of sexual violence on Uber’s platform, including numerous instances of sexual assault in an Uber, and the company’s long-running failure to protect riders.

At the Law Offices of Nicholas A. Parr in Baltimore, Maryland, we represent survivors who have been victimized while using rideshare services. On this page, we break down what the evidence shows, what recent legal developments mean for victims, and what steps you can take if this happened to you.

The Scale of the Problem: Numbers That Demand Attention

For years, Uber publicly portrayed itself as one of the safest transportation options available. Its official safety reports acknowledged roughly 12,500 cases of serious sexual assault across 2017–2022. But in August 2025, sealed court records told a far different story.

They revealed that Uber logged over 400,000 such reports in five years, which is a far higher figure than the company had previously disclosed. This translates to one sexual assault or misconduct report in the U.S. nearly every eight minutes between 2017 and 2022. 

The gap between what Uber told the public and what its own internal records showed is staggering. More than that, it revealed a disturbing pattern of corporate decision-making that prioritized growth and cost containment over passenger safety. Among the most troubling findings: Female passengers were the majority of victims whether they were passengers or drivers. 

The company identified recurring risk factors, including late-night trips, bar-area pickups, and rides involving intoxicated passengers. Uber even piloted an internal safety tool in Los Angeles that could reportedly predict up to 15% of potential sexual assaults within its standard ride service. However, an internal document disclosed in 2024 revealed a critical flaw in the system: It allowed “high-risk” trips to continue being dispatched without intervention.

Critics and plaintiffs’ attorneys argue this is not mere negligence. It reflects a deliberate choice. Plaintiffs in the Uber assault lawsuit argue that the company’s push for rapid expansion came at the expense of passenger safety. They point to a driver onboarding process built for speed, with background checks that prioritized quick approvals over thorough vetting. This meant Uber allowed unsafe individuals onto the platform.

The February 2026 Verdict: A Turning Point for Survivors

In a historic ruling that reverberated across the legal and tech worlds, a federal jury in Arizona delivered a verdict that could reshape the future of thousands of similar lawsuits.

Jaylynn Dean sued Uber in 2023, alleging she was raped by her driver during a ride that November. She accused Uber of failing to take sufficient steps to prevent such assaults after advertising “safe rides.” The federal jury found Uber was liable because the driver was acting as an “apparent agent” of the company during the incident.

The significance of this verdict goes far beyond one woman’s case. Dean’s case marked the first “bellwether” trial for around 3,000 similar lawsuits that have been consolidated in federal court. The verdict is a “test case” that could help both Uber and other plaintiffs determine their legal strategies and how much each side might be willing to settle for. In total, Uber could be on the hook to pay tens of billions of dollars in damages if the other cases result in verdicts similar to Dean’s trial.

CNN legal analyst Joey Jackson said the case could mark the start of a “sea change.” He noted that if Uber loses its appeal, plaintiffs’ lawyers in the other cases could believe they have an even clearer path to victory.

Did Uber Know And Look Away?

Perhaps the most damning aspect of the ongoing litigation is the evidence that Uber’s leadership was warned about the scale of sexual violence on its platform. However, they chose not to act aggressively enough to stop it.

According to internal documents, Uber’s own data scientists made recommendations to Uber officials to increase safety measures, including mandatory video recording and pairing female passengers with same-sex drivers. Uber officials allegedly had a lax response to implementing these safety features, if at all, due to their prioritization of profits.

Background check failures have also come under scrutiny. The Times reported multiple cases where Uber drivers convicted of rape in recent years also had prior violent felony convictions, including cases in California, where drivers with violent felonies are supposed to be permanently barred. In Massachusetts, regulators rechecked backgrounds in 2017 and banned about 8,000 ride-hailing drivers who had been approved earlier, including those from Uber.

What Uber Is Doing Now And Why It May Not Be Enough

Facing mounting legal pressure, congressional scrutiny, and public outcry, Uber has introduced new safety features. Most notably, in 2025 the company launched a long-overdue “Women Preferences” feature in the United States.

Uber first introduced a version of this feature in Saudi Arabia in 2019, shortly after women gained the legal right to drive. Since then, it expanded to over 40 countries and powered more than 230 million trips globally. But the option was unavailable in the U.S. for years, despite internal research showing it could reduce assaults.

As of March 9, 2026, Women Preferences is expanding nationwide, including in cities like New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. Women riders can now request a ride on demand by selecting “Women Drivers,” reserve a trip in advance with a woman driver, and set a preference for a woman driver in their app settings.

Uber says about one-fifth of its drivers in the U.S. are women, though the ratio varies by city. That limited supply means the feature cannot always be guaranteed, and it does nothing for the thousands of survivors whose assaults occurred before the option became available.

The rollout also faces legal challenges. Two California Uber drivers filed a class-action lawsuit in November 2025, arguing that the Women Preferences feature violates California’s Unruh Act, which prohibits sex discrimination by business enterprises. The outcome of that challenge remains pending.

Safety advocates note that these measures, while welcome, do not address the systemic failures that allowed hundreds of thousands of assaults and incidents to occur over more than a decade. As one attorney in the multidistrict litigation (MDL) put it, “The work is far from over.”

Your Legal Rights If You Were Assaulted in an Uber

If you were sexually assaulted, harassed, or otherwise victimized during an Uber ride, you have legal options, and you may be entitled to substantial compensation. Here is what you should know:

Can You Sue Uber?

Yes. The February 2026 federal verdict demonstrated that Uber can be held liable for the actions of its drivers under the legal theory of “apparent agency,” which means that when a passenger reasonably believes a driver is acting on behalf of Uber, the company can bear legal responsibility. This is true even though Uber classifies its drivers as independent contractors rather than employees.

Over 3,000 Uber sexual assault cases have been consolidated into a multidistrict litigation (MDL) in the Northern District of California, with plaintiffs alleging the company failed to properly screen drivers or address passenger complaints.

Potential Damages in an Uber Sexual Assault Lawsuit

• Medical expenses — including emergency care, therapy, and long-term mental health treatment
• Lost wages — if the assault caused you to miss work or affected your earning capacity
• Pain and suffering — for the physical and emotional trauma you experienced
• Punitive damages — in cases where Uber’s conduct is found to be especially egregious
• Other economic losses — any out-of-pocket costs related to the assault and its aftermath

What Should You Do After an Uber Sexual Assault? Steps to Take Immediately

• Get to safety first. Leave the vehicle and move to a safe location as quickly as possible.
• Call 911. Report the assault to police and request medical attention. A police report creates an official record that is critical to your case.
• Seek medical care. Go to an emergency room or sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) program. Evidence collected promptly is vital, both for your health and for your legal claim.
• Do not delete the Uber app. Your trip data, driver information, and in-app communications are important evidence. Take screenshots of your ride history, the driver’s name, photo, and rating.
• Report the incident within the Uber app to create a record with the company.
• Write down everything you remember, including what was said, what happened, the route taken, and any witnesses.
• Contact an attorney before speaking to Uber’s insurance representatives. Uber’s legal team works to minimize payouts; you deserve your own advocate.

Is There a Time Limit to File?

Yes. Every state has a statute of limitations, a legal deadline for filing a personal injury or civil lawsuit. In Maryland, the general statute of limitations for personal injury claims is three years from the date of the incident. However, there are exceptions, and it is critical to speak with an attorney as early as possible to understand how the deadline applies to your specific situation. Waiting too long can cost you the right to pursue compensation altogether.

Why Choose The Law Offices of Nicholas A. Parr?

At the Law Offices of Nicholas A. Parr in Baltimore, Maryland, we understand the courage it takes to come forward after a sexual assault. We handle every case with the compassion, confidentiality, and aggressive advocacy that survivors deserve.

What we offer:

• Free, confidential consultations — No pressure, no obligation
• No fees unless we win — You pay nothing upfront
• Experienced personal injury representation in Maryland and the Baltimore area
• Compassionate, survivor-centered approach at every stage of your case
• Aggressive pursuit of maximum compensation from Uber and any other liable parties

The litigation landscape around Uber sexual assault is evolving rapidly. With bellwether trials producing multimillion-dollar verdicts, now is the time to understand your rights and take action. You should not have to carry the weight of what happened to you alone, and you should not have to absorb the financial consequences of a company’s failure to protect you.

You Deserve Justice. Let Us Help You Fight for It.

Contact our Baltimore office today for a free, confidential consultation. There is no fee unless we win your case.