Rideshare Sexual Assault Attorneys in St. Louis

Standing Up for You After Uber or Lyft Sexual Assault

If you trusted a driver from a company like Uber or Lyft to get you home safely, but were sexually assaulted by the driver, it’s only right to demand justice for what happened. Please know that you are not alone, and you have legal options.

At NGK Law Firm, we help survivors of rideshare sexual assault pursue justice and compensation against bad-actor drivers and the corporations that enable them. Members of our legal team have been recognized by Super Lawyers®, Best Lawyers®, and many other professional organizations for our skill, integrity, and results. We have also earned a reputation for taking on and winning against major corporations that others thought were untouchable.

We bring that same determination to rideshare sexual assault cases. When you come to us, we listen, we believe you, and we fight to hold the responsible parties accountable. We handle these cases with confidentiality and care, while also bringing the full force of our trial experience against Uber, Lyft, or any other rideshare company that failed in its duty to protect riders.

Talk to our St. Louis Uber sexual assault lawyers during a FREE, confidential case review by calling (314) 350-1900 now.

Rideshare Sexual Assault Cases Can Be Complex

Uber and Lyft have transformed transportation across St. Louis and beyond, but they have also introduced serious safety risks. A growing number of reports show that passengers, especially solo female passengers, face a risk of sexual assault and harassment by rideshare drivers.

Part of the difficulty in pursuing legal action against rideshare companies is the way they classify their drivers. Uber and Lyft label drivers as “independent contractors,” not employees. By doing so, they attempt to shield themselves from liability for a driver’s actions by complicating the legal concept of respondeat superior. If a driver sexually assaults a passenger, the company often argues that it should not be held responsible at all.

This corporate structure makes these cases highly complex. It takes legal skill and determination to undo those defenses and show how the company’s own policies (or lack of policies) contributed to the circumstances that led to the sexual assault. Hiring an attorney as soon as possible is highly recommended.

Who Can Be Held Responsible for Rideshare Sexual Assault?

Every rideshare sexual assault case is unique. Depending on the circumstances, different parties may be held responsible for the attack on the passenger.

Different liable parties in a rideshare sexual assault lawsuit could include:

• The rideshare driver who committed the assault.
• Uber or Lyft, if the company failed to conduct proper background checks, ignored warning signs, or did not implement reasonable safety measures.
• Third parties, in limited cases, such as separate companies that performed inadequate background screenings.

Determining liability often requires a thorough investigation. Our legal team can examine the driver’s history, the company’s hiring practices, past complaints, and whether proper safeguards were in place to reduce the risk of bad actors accepting fares.

How We Prepare Cases Against Rideshare Companies

Holding rideshare companies accountable requires more than just proving that an assault occurred. It also requires connecting the company’s failures to the harm you experienced. At NGK Law Firm, we take a strategic and thorough approach to prove the rideshare company’s negligence.

When you let us handle your case, you can count on our St. Louis rideshare sexual assault attorneys for help with:

• Gathering records and data from Uber or Lyft, including ride histories, communications, and GPS data.
• Examining the driver’s background, training, and prior complaints.
• Reviewing corporate safety policies to identify gaps or failures.
• Working with third-party experts, such as safety professionals and psychologists, to demonstrate the impact of the assault.
• Using proven trial strategies against large corporations, including exposing patterns of negligence.

In some cases, naming the rideshare company as a defendant isn’t feasible or wouldn’t be helpful for the case. When that happens, we can turn our focus on the driver’s liability and their privately held auto insurance policies.

Compensation & Damages in a Rideshare Sexual Assault Case

Sexual assault is a physical injury and a severe violation that can have lasting effects on every part of your life. While no amount of money can undo what happened, compensation can help you cover the costs of recovery and secure a sense of justice or closure.

Depending on the case, compensation may include:

• Medical bills for physical injuries
• Therapy, counseling, and other forms of mental health treatment
• Lost income, including time missed from work or long-term career effects
• Pain, suffering, and emotional trauma
• Other financial and non-financial losses tied to the assault

Every case is different, and the compensation available depends on the facts of your situation. We can carefully document your injuries and losses to pursue the maximum recovery possible under the law.

Steps to Take If You Were Assaulted in an Uber or Lyft

If you were sexually assaulted in a rideshare vehicle, try to follow these steps:

1. Get medical attention right away: Medical professionals can document what happened and provide care. A sexual assault kit may be recommended.
2. Report the assault: Call the police and file a report. Also, file a report through the rideshare app, so the rideshare company can remove the driver from its pool of contracted drivers pending an investigation.
3. Preserve evidence: Save ride receipts, app messages, text communications, or any other information connected to the ride.
4. Avoid communication with the driver: Do not attempt to resolve anything directly with the driver. Do not answer any messages, either private or through the app, from the driver.
5. Contact an attorney: The sooner you involve a lawyer from our firm, the sooner we can work to protect your rights, gather evidence, and prepare your case.

Taking these steps is not always easy, and we understand that you may be processing trauma. If you reach out to us, we can handle your case with care and discretion, and we can take on the burden of the legal fight, so you don’t have to face it alone.

Confidential & Supportive Representation

Speaking about sexual assault can feel incredibly difficult. We want you to know that everything you share with us is strictly confidential. Our role is not to pressure you but to inform you about your options and offer our legal counsel if you want to move forward with an injury claim against Uber or Lyft. If you do decide to take legal action with us, we will be there at every step, offering compassionate support while aggressively pursuing justice on your behalf.

Contact our St. Louis rideshare sexual assault attorneys today for a free and confidential consultation. Call (314) 350-1900 at any time.