New Jersey Uber Sexual Assault Attorney

Uber and other rideshare services have completely changed the way people get around. As convenient as it may be though, it has a huge problem—sexual assault. Thousands of reports of passengers being sexually assaulted while using the service have emerged. If you or a loved one have experienced this too, help is available.

The New Jersey Sexual Assault Attorneys at the Todd J. Leonard Law Firm know how difficult it is to come forward with a sexual assault. Survivors of an Uber sexual assault deserve justice and the people and companies involved in an assault must be held fully accountable for their reprehensible actions.

Uber Sexual Assault Statistics

According to a national safety report released by Uber, in 2018 there were 3,045 reports made to the company of sexual assaults; up from 2,936 assaults in 2017. The company emphasizes that this is a small percentage of the 1.3 billion rides it provided in the same time period. However, even one sexual assault is too many.

Uber’s safety report also revealed that 92 percent of the reported assaults were against passengers but did not say who was committing these attacks.

The majority of the sexual assaults were described as nonconsensual touching of a sexual body part, such as the mouth, genitals or breasts. There were also reported incidents of nonconsensual kissing of nonsexual body parts, attempted rape and rape.

Uber’s Safety Concerns

Safety has long been an issue for rideshare companies like Uber. Thanks to its use of gig workers, Uber has always heavily promoted that anyone can become a driver.

The company conducts background checks on drivers, but they only look into the last seven years and can easily miss criminal acts committed earlier. Uber also is not automatically notified of crimes committed by its drivers, only driving-related offenses. These oversights make it easy for Uber to miss warning signs that a driver is potentially dangerous.

Another safety concern lies in the way rideshare services are often used. Many people call an Uber when they are unable to drive themselves because they have been drinking or are not feeling well. A driver might decide to take advantage of a passenger who is intoxicated and assault them in the car or once they have arrived at their destination.

Statute of Limitations for a Sexual Assault Claim

In New Jersey, the statute of limitations for sexual abuse and assault cases was extended in May 2019, to age 55 or from two to seven years from the date you knew or should have known the sexual assault caused you injuries (Discovery rule) whichever is later. This is important for survivors of sexual abuse and assault and gives more people than ever the option to pursue civil action against the person who hurt them.

Many survivors avoid taking legal action because they are unsure if what happened to them was actually a sexual assault. A sexual assault can be any physical touching that is unwanted and offensive, and done without consent. For example:

• Touching
• Fondling
• Kissing
• Rubbing
• Forced sexual contact
• Exposure
• Attempted rape
• Rape

The Todd J. Leonard Law Firm Can Help

If you were touched without your consent by an Uber driver or sexually assaulted in an Uber vehicle, you can potentially take legal action against your attacker and anyone else that contributed to it. You could be compensated for damages related to medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.

The New Jersey Sexual Assault attorneys of the Todd J. Leonard Law Firm understand the sensitive nature of a sexual assault case and have vast knowledge of the complex laws that apply to them. We will always treat each of our clients with respect, helping them through every step of the difficult process of facing the person who assaulted them, and a large company like Uber, and holding them fully accountable. We are committed to fighting for justice for survivors of sexual assault.