I have been wondering how people that I do not know have taken it upon themselves to take such very good care of, advocate for and treat me with such respect … I am so very grateful to you all and I will remember your kindness until the day I die. So, I want to take this opportunity to thank you Ron and the rest of the team… Just to be clear, I cannot talk to you because I have not been able to stop crying every time I remember how hard you guys advocated for me, told … my story, yet made me feel safe. Ron, thank you and please let everyone on my team know how I sincerely feel.
- Recent Client, Case Settled
February 2019
Potential clients often ask “what will I receive if I bring a claim as a survivor of sexual assault or other serious physical assault?” The answer to this question is not easily determined nor should it be. All facts and circumstances about a survivor of an attack’s particular situation are important in assessing what can be expected in the way of monetary damages. Of course, in discussing any estimate of financial compensation, the context must always be recognized, i.e. is the discussion about a potential jury verdict after a contentious trial or a settlement arrived at through negotiation or mediation? Verdicts can be in the millions of dollars and settlements can range upward from hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Reports and available lawsuit information indicate at least 6,000 people nationwide have been sexually assaulted while a passenger or a driver of a ridesharing company; many of whom have sought financial compensation. Financial compensation generally involves three components:
Financial compensation generally involves three components:
We are prepared to discuss these issues with you. There are many considerations in assessing the potential amount of financial compensation that may be obtained in Uber or Lyft ridesharing sexual assault or other physical assault cases.
UBER ASSAULTS — For years, Uber had ignored the issue of sexual assaults perpetrated by their drivers. Only in 2017 did the company begin studying cases of sexual harassment and sexual assaults. In its first safety report released in December 2019, Uber acknowledged 3,045 sexual assaults were reported in U.S. rides in 2018 alone. These assaults involved unwanted kissing, touching of sexual body parts, attempted rape and rape. The report did not disclose the number of other forms of sexual assault such as touching and groping non–sexual body parts or sexual harassment reported. The report also included past cases of kidnapping and murder and other physical attacks. Drivers are victims too. According to Uber’s safety report, drivers reported assaults at roughly the same rate as riders across the five most serious categories of sexual assault. Uber’s negligent hiring practices and insufficient background checks on drivers have resulted in thousands of sexual and physical assaults, particularly against women. In 2019, Uber announced they would drop terms of service restricting victims of sexual assault from filing lawsuits. Previously the firms used terms of service in their app to force injured women to settle cases in mandatory arbitration. Their past treatment of victims illustrates the need for an experienced Uber law firm to protect victims’ rights. The company now faces hundreds of active sexual assault lawsuits filed by Uber lawyers on behalf of victims.
LYFT ASSAULTS — Having been viewed by many as a safer and more consumer–friendly alternative to Uber, a rash of Lyft lawsuits has made it clear that sexual assaults and other physical assaults perpetrated against Lyft customers is just as great a problem as with Uber. Lyft has not released any of the same safety data that Uber has and while Uber was making headlines for reported sexual assaults, Lyft had not been implicated. Thanks to hundreds of lawsuits that have recently been filed by Lyft lawyers, mostly by women, Lyft is now under the same pressure. Like Uber, Lyft is not doing enough to keep their customers safe. A lack of comprehensive background checks coupled with inadequate investigation of customer complaints involving sexually inappropriate behavior by drivers has put thousands of women at risk.
Attorney Ron Meneo manages and leads The Meneo Law Group. Your case will be personally reviewed and evaluated by him. Perhaps as strong and enduring as any other effects on a survivor of sexual assault are the feelings of shame and guilt that can be overwhelming and debilitating, compounded by a resulting mistrust of others and avoidance of any acknowledgment or conversation concerning the assault. We recognize how difficult and oftentimes frightening acknowledging sexual assault and describing it can be. Be assured that any conversation about your situation with our firm is confidential. When we respond to an inquiry, we do so with the sensitivity, respect, and discretion necessary to provide meaningful feedback. If you prefer to speak with us directly regarding your incident, please call The Meneo Law Group at 1-866-371-8506 1-866-371-8506 or send us a confidential email at confidentialinquiry@meneolawgroup.com.
Cases may be filed anonymously to protect the victim's identity.
My wife and I cannot thank you enough for your help in this case. We want to make note of your professionalism and empathy in this matter. The actual velocity here is astonishing compared to most legal endeavors. - W.M.
Asserting a ridesharing sexual assault claim may be subject to various deadlines — formally known as “statutes of limitations” — which limit the time within which a claim can be brought. These limits vary from state–to–state and, for each state, differ depending upon the type of claim. Statutes of limitations are generally divided into two distinct groups: those that apply to criminal acts and those that apply to non–criminal or civil claims. Many states have adopted very liberal time limits for sexual assault cases. For example, in California, Assembly Bill 1619 was passed unanimously by the California State Assembly in September 2018 to extend the statute of limitations on civil actions for sexual assault from two years to 10 years. As Uber and Lyft are both headquartered in California, this extension is applicable to survivors of Uber assaults and Lyft assaults across the country regardless of state of residence and will allow all survivors to file a civil action against either company.
Disclaimer: Submission of information to The Meneo Law Group does not establish an attorney-client relationship and should not be viewed or understood as doing so. An attorney-client relationship can only be established by the agreement of both the attorney and the client and must be reduced to a written retainer agreement that has been signed by both parties.