Toledo Rideshare Sexual Assault Lawyer

At the Charles Boyk Law Offices in Toledo, we believe that everyone has a fundamental right to feel safe. Using a service like Uber or Lyft should be a simple and convenient part of your day. Tragically, corporate negligence could turn that standard car trip into a lifelong trauma. If you or a loved one has been the victim of sexual assault, harassment, or violence during a rideshare trip, please know it was not your fault, and you are not alone.

Our dedicated team of Toledo rideshare sexual assault lawyers is here to listen, to support you, and to fight tirelessly for the justice and compensation you deserve.

The Alarming Scale of Rideshare Assaults

The danger of ride-share assault is not hypothetical; these statistics are documented in the rideshare companies’ own data. While Uber and Lyft would prefer you to focus on the millions of uneventful trips, their own safety reports reveal a pervasive and disturbing crisis of sexual violence.

Uber’s 2019-2020 safety report admitted to 3,824 reports of sexual assault across five severity categories in just two years, including 141 reports of rape. Lyft, often criticized for its lack of transparency, reported 1,807 sexual assaults over three years.

However, the whole picture is even more staggering. Recent litigation has uncovered that from 2017 to 2022, Uber received approximately 400,000 reports of sexual assault or misconduct, which roughly averages to one report every eight minutes in the United States. This figure paints the picture of a systemic failure so vast that it cannot be dismissed as isolated incidents.[1]

The data consistently reveals a tragic pattern: the vast majority of survivors are women, and the most significant proportion are between the ages of 18 and 29. These are not just statistics; they are our daughters, sisters, friends, and clients who placed their trust in a service that failed to protect them.

Beyond the App: How Uber and Lyft’s Business Model Puts You at Risk

Why is this happening? The core of the problem lies in a business model that has historically prioritized rapid growth and profits over passenger safety.

Uber and Lyft have built their empires by classifying drivers as “independent contractors.” This classification enables them to sidestep many of the responsibilities that traditional transportation companies, such as taxi services, are legally required to maintain. Our lawsuits argue that these corporations have created a dangerous environment through:

• Inadequate and Flawed Background Checks: Unlike the rigorous fingerprint-based checks used for taxi drivers, rideshare companies often use less comprehensive background checks that can miss past criminal records in other states or fail to flag recent offenses.
• Negligent Hiring and Retention: Companies have been known to keep drivers on the road despite a history of passenger complaints or even after reports of misconduct, failing to take meaningful action to remove dangerous individuals from their platform.
• The Illusion of Safety Features: While in app emergency buttons and trip sharing are promoted as safety solutions they are often very ineffective in preventing an assault that happens inside a moving vehicle. These features can create a false sense of security while the company avoids implementing stronger measures.
• Failure to Warn: Rideshare companies do not inform passengers if a driver has been the subject of previous complaints and knowingly putting riders at risk.

A Toledo rideshare assault attorney can help you understand your options for pursuing justice after experiencing harm in an Uber or Lyft.

The Legal Battlefield: Holding Billion-Dollar Companies Accountable

A critical legal question at the heart of this litigation is whether Uber and Lyft should be considered “common carriers.” This is the legal term for entities that transport the public from one place to another for a fee, such as buses, trains, and airlines. Common carriers are held to the highest possible standard of care and have a non-delegable duty to ensure passenger safety.

We are actively arguing in court that Uber and Lyft must be held to this high standard. If successful, this makes it much clearer that they are directly liable for the assaults committed by their drivers.

You should know that the rideshare companies are fighting back aggressively. In a recent high profile case Uber won a verdict by arguing that its app is merely a “technology platform” and hiding behind the fine print in its user agreement. This tactic underscores why survivors need an attorney who is not only compassionate but also strategically prepared to dismantle these corporate defenses. Our Toledo rideshare sexual assault attorneys are now involved in the ongoing national litigation against these companies and are committed to forcing them to enact meaningful change.

Your Rights as a Survivor: A Path to Healing and Justice

A civil lawsuit is completely separate from any criminal case. While a criminal case aims to punish the criminal, a civil lawsuit is about securing justice and financial compensation for you the survivor. It is a powerful tool to help you rebuild your life and hold the corporation accountable for its role in your trauma. We fight to recover damages for:

• Past and Future Medical Expenses: Including emergency room visits, hospital stays, and medications.
• Therapy and Counseling: The cost of the essential mental health care to help process the trauma, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression.
• Lost Wages and Loss of Earning Capacity: If the assault has impacted your ability to work.
• Pain and Suffering: Compensation for the physical pain and severe emotional distress you have endured.
• Punitive Damages: In cases of egregious corporate negligence, we seek additional damages designed to punish the company and deter similar conduct in the future.

A Toledo Lyft or Uber sexual assault attorney will ensure any settlement demands or awards adequately reflect the full measure of your harm.

What to Do If You Have Been Assaulted in an Uber or Lyft

In the immediate aftermath of an assault, your safety and well-being are the only priorities. If you are able, taking the following steps can help protect your well-being and strengthen any future legal case:

1. Get to a Safe Place: Remove yourself from the vehicle and the driver immediately.
2. Seek Medical Attention: Your health is paramount. A hospital can treat any injuries and perform a Sexual Assault Forensic Exam (SAFE) to preserve critical evidence. Ask for a SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) if possible.
3. Preserve Evidence: Do not shower, brush your teeth, or change your clothes until after you have been to the hospital. Keep the clothing you were wearing in a paper bag. Save all text messages, emails, and your trip receipt from the Uber/Lyft app.
4. Report the Incident: File a report with the local police. Also, report the driver directly to Uber or Lyft through the app. Be aware that the company’s goal is to limit its liability, so consult with an attorney before giving a detailed recorded statement to them.

Please remember: If you weren’t able to do all of these things at the time, you still have rights. The trauma of an assault is overwhelming. Our Toledo rideshare sexual assault attorneys can help you navigate the process from here.

Why Survivors Choose Charles E. Boyk Law Offices

Choosing the right legal team is one of the most critical decisions you will make. At Charles E. Boyk Law Offices, we offer a combination of unwavering support and fierce legal advocacy.

• Compassionate, Trauma-Informed Representation: We understand the profound sensitivity of these cases. Our team is trained to work with survivors, ensuring you are heard, believed, and respected at every step. We move at your pace.
• Proven Experience in Complex Litigation: We have a deep and current understanding of the specific laws and evolving legal strategies needed to take on billion-dollar corporations such as Uber and Lyft.
• A Record of Success: We have a history of securing significant financial recoveries for our clients, providing them with the resources needed for their recovery and sending a message that negligence will not be tolerated.
• No Fee Unless We Win: We work on a contingency fee basis. This means you pay nothing upfront or out-of-pocket. Our fees are only collected if we successfully recover money for you.

You Have a Voice. We Will Help You Be Heard.

The decision to come forward and pursue legal action is deeply personal and requires immense courage. It is about more than compensation, it is about reclaiming your power and forcing a multibillion-dollar industry to change.

When you are ready to speak, we are here to listen. Contact us today for a free, completely confidential, and no-obligation consultation. Let our experienced and compassionate Toledo rideshare sexual assault lawyers help you take the first step on your path to justice and healing.

[1] US Latest News | Uber Newsroom Ride or drive with Lyft Uber Understated Thousands of Sexual Assaults, Victims Tell Jury Uber and Lyft Sexual Violence Statistics | Helping Survivors of Sexual Assault and Abuse