Navigating an Uber Sex Assault Claim
An unsettling issue that continues to plague the ride share industry for Uber and Lyft is sexual assault incidents involving rideshare drivers. Both Uber and Lyft have received thousands of complaints from passengers, proving rideshare is not always safe.
Uber’s last U.S. safety report is from 2022. Lyft’s only report is from 2021. This raises concerns about how transparent and accountable these companies are for passenger safety.
Uber and Lyft released safety reports a few years ago. At the time, people initially viewed this as a step towards greater transparency and accountability.
Uber’s 2022 report revealed more than 9,000 sexual assault incidents reported since 2017. This shocking number raised concerns about the level of protection for passengers.
Meanwhile, Lyft’s 2021 report detailed over 4,158 similar incidents between 2017 and 2019.
Seeking Justice Against Predatory Rideshare Drivers
The Yost Legal Group is handling Uber and Lyft driver sexual assault claims. If an Uber driver or Lyft Driver has sexually assaulted you or a loved one, contact us at 1-800-967-8529. We will file an Uber sexual assault claim on your behalf.
An Uber sex assault lawyer will explain the process of filing an Uber driver lawsuit. You will want an experienced Uber sex assault attorney to sue Uber, not just any lawyer.
Holding Rideshare Giants Accountable for Passenger Safety
Individuals traveling home, heading to work, or enjoying a night out with friends should feel safe with drivers whose primary responsibility is to ensure their passengers’ safety.
Despite these alarming statistics, both companies have been slow to publish updated reports, leaving passengers in the dark about current safety standards.
Rideshare services’ primary challenge is maintaining rigorous vetting processes while balancing rapid growth demands. If Uber fails to protect its passengers, it must be held accountable. Even though drivers are independent contractors, there are many claims against Uber.
Recent Reported Instances of Uber and Lyft Driver Sexual Assault
We have not had complete data from rideshare companies for the past few years. However, brave survivors are sharing their stories about abusive drivers. Passenger reports to the authorities, media, and law firms show a continuing problem with predatory Lyft and Uber drivers.
Two rideshare drivers made the news on August 19, 2024. They were in separate cases across the country. Brave survivors reported their recent attacks as sexual assault victims. These victims spoke to the authorities about their Lyft and Uber drivers.
On August 21, 2024, news broke that police in Austin, Texas, arrested an Uber driver named Victor Legon-Frias for an incident that happened in May of the same year. An unnamed woman reported that Legon-Frias touched her inappropriately during a trip on May 4:
“The victim told investigators she had been drinking that night, fell asleep in the Uber, and woke up to Legon-Frias sexually assaulting her. She managed to get out of the vehicle and call for help.”
Legon-Frias faces charges of second-degree sexual assault.
Then, on August 22, 2024, reports of a sexual assault in Plymouth Township hit the news in Pennsylvania.
In that case, a Lyft driver named Edwin Valentin Perez had been arrested and charged for reportedly drugging and sexually assaulting an unnamed man who was his passenger. The survivor alleges Perez assaulted him on Tuesday, August 20.
“‘I was going over to Plymouth to see my buddy and hang out, and suddenly, I was getting this weird odor. I tried rolling my windows down. I was watching, went over the Nanticoke Bridge, the doors were locked, I actually tried opening the door, I couldn’t get out,’ the victim explained.
“He says Perez had a bottle with liquid in it.” “He kept shaking the bottle, and I kept getting high off it.”
“He says he passed out and woke to find Perez assaulting him.”
State troopers confirmed Perez had an “inhalant-type substance” in his car and used it to incapacitate the survivor before assaulting him.
Holding Rideshare Companies Accountable for Negligent Hiring of Predatory Drivers
Though Perez was driving for Lyft when he assaulted the unnamed man who reported the incident to authorities and the news, state troopers confirmed Perez had driven for Lyft and Uber.
Perez had another run-in with the law. In May 2024, a criminal complaint was also filed against him while he was driving for a rideshare company.
“‘We did have a previous incident with him that didn’t rise to the level of sexual assault as this one did. It only rose to a summary offense of harassment and disorderly conduct. So this is the first incident that we’re aware of sexual abuse,’ said Wilkes-Barre Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Bill Evans.”
This additional information about Perez raises serious concerns about how he could still drive for Lyft and Uber despite having a criminal complaint against him.
It should not matter that the previous incident “didn’t rise to the level of sexual assault.”
Why are Lyft and Uber allowing drivers with criminal complaints on file for harassment and disorderly conduct to continue to work for their companies?
Rideshare companies refer to their drivers as “contractors” to avoid the full legalities and responsibilities of employing actual workers.
However, that does not preclude Lyft and Uber from safe hiring practices or exclude the companies from monitoring the conduct of said contractors and taking appropriate action should the drivers misbehave.
The combined 13,000 reported sexual assaults perpetrated by Lyft and Uber drivers between 2017 and 2021 is a red flag. The two reported instances last week are not uncommon. They are not outliers.
Compassionate Legal Support for Rideshare Assault Victims
We must hold Lyft, Uber, and other rideshare companies accountable. Otherwise, their hiring and employment practices will never change.
Filing a lawsuit against Uber is the first step. An Uber lawsuit will show Uber and Lyft they must change their very defective hiring and investigation systems.
Our compassionate sexual abuse lawyers are ready to help survivors seek and receive the justice they deserve.
The Yost Legal Group is here to help the survivors of sexual assault by Lyft, Uber, and rideshare drivers. We know how difficult it can be to report sexual abuse and assault, and we do not take the trust given to us lightly.
If a Lyft or Uber driver sexually assaulted you while they were on the job, call The Yost Legal Group for legal guidance. An experienced sexual assault lawyer will explain your rights and discuss how we can file an Uber sex assault claim for you.
We do not charge anything upfront to discuss your potential case. We offer a 100% free case evaluation. If we take your case, we get paid after we settle it. If there is no recovery, there are no fees or expenses due.
Do you have an Uber driver sexual assault claim? Do you want to file an Uber Lyft lawsuit?
We must hold Lyft and Uber accountable for their negligence and the crimes of their predatory drivers. Call or text us at 410-659-6800.
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