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Uber has avoided liability in a closely watched sexual assault lawsuit after a California jury ruled the company was not responsible for an attack involving one of its drivers. The verdict came Tuesday at the end of a three-week civil trial in San Francisco Superior Court. The plaintiff, identified as Jessica C., argued that Uber bore responsibility for an alleged 2016 assault in which her driver pulled over, restrained, groped, and kissed her. The jury rejected those claims, marking the first trial outcome among more than 500 similar lawsuits filed in California state court, with an additional 2,500 pending in federal court.
Jessica C.’s lawsuit, filed in 2021, was selected as the initial “bellwether” case—meant to test legal arguments and guide potential settlements in mass litigation. Her attorneys had sought between $175,000 and $1.2 million in compensatory damages for each year of her life following the assault, but did not propose a figure for punitive damages.
The lawsuits collectively accuse Uber of ignoring patterns of driver misconduct, failing to disclose full data on sexual assaults, and resisting preventive measures such as matching female passengers with female drivers or requiring in-car dashcams. Plaintiffs argue these steps could have reduced risks for riders. Uber has consistently maintained it cannot be held liable for independent criminal acts by drivers, pointing instead to its background checks and transparency through published U.S. Safety Reports.
While Uber has introduced new safety features—such as ride verification, audio and video recording options, anomaly detection, and partnerships with survivor advocacy groups—critics argue these measures fall short. A 2022 safety report claimed a 44% drop in reported serious sexual assaults since 2017, but thousands of incidents remain documented.
The outcome of this trial is seen as pivotal, with billions potentially at stake across consolidated cases. The verdict also comes as lawmakers increase scrutiny: last week, a U.S. House subcommittee requested details from CEO Dara Khosrowshahi on Uber’s safety protocols. With its reputation still fragile, the company faces ongoing pressure to prove it prioritizes passenger protection as much as profitability.
