Lyft Under Fire Again for Another Alleged Sexual Assault of Innocent Passenger

 Posted on May 07, 2019 in Personal Injury

By Tim Tomasik

Over the past few years, a large number of people have been the victims of assaults by rideshare drivers working for companies like Uber and Lyft. While these companies have stated that the safety of their passengers is a top priority, incidents in which passengers are harmed by drivers continue to occur with alarming regularity. At Tomasik Kotin Kasserman, LLC, we have been leading the fight to hold these companies responsible for the violent assaults committed by drivers against passengers. 

A recent incident which took place in the Chicago suburbs is only the latest demonstration of rideshare companies’ failure to address these safety issues. In the early morning of May 2, 2019, a woman in Elk Grove requested a ride using the Lyft rideshare app. During the trip, the driver sexually assaulted her twice before she was able to escape and call 911, according to police. The driver was subsequently arrested and charged with criminal sexual assault and kidnapping.

This horrific crime serves as yet another reminder that while rideshare companies pay lip service to the idea of passenger safety, they have continued to fall short when it comes to properly vetting drivers. The screening and background check processes used by Lyft and Uber are far less stringent than those used by traditional taxi companies, and as a result, passengers are being harmed by drivers who should never have been allowed to provide transportation for them.

At TKK, we have been working to address concerns about rideshare passenger safety for more than two years. In 2017, we filed a lawsuit against Lyft on behalf of a woman who was held captive and repeatedly sexually assaulted by a rideshare driver. The alleged perpetrator in that case had been hired by Lyft despite having an extensive criminal history.

If you have been assaulted, robbed, or otherwise harmed by a driver for a ridesharing company like Lyft or Uber, we will work with you to help you pursue compensation from those who were responsible. To schedule a free consultation, contact our Chicago rideshare injury attorneys at 312-605-8800.

Sources:

https://wgntv.com/2019/05/06/lyft-driver-sexually-assaulted-passenger-in-2-chicago-suburbs-police-say/