Complaint alleges Lyft's failure to address safety issues and "profit over passengers" priorities resulted in plaintiff's assault injuries

On March 13, 2026, Lieff Cabraser filed an injury lawsuit in federal district court in San Francisco on behalf of plaintiff Jane Doe alleging harassment, physical attack, sexual assault, and battery committed by a Lyft driver in December 2024 in California. The lawsuit further includes claims that Lyft misled plaintiff and the public into believing it provides safe rides and that it was addressing safety issues, when instead it prioritizes profits over passenger safety.

The case focuses on a woman who, after ordering what she believed would be a safe Lyft ride to her destination, was harassed and physically and sexually assaulted by a Lyft driver. Ms. Doe suffered immense trauma and emotional distress as a result of the Lyft driver's assault, the horrific result of her simply trying to obtain a safe ride.

"Lyft's conscious disregard of passenger safety, particularly for female Lyft passengers, is distressing," notes Lieff Cabraser Partner Tiseme Zegeye, who represents the plaintiff. "For over a decade, Lyft has known that Lyft drivers are physically and sexually assaulting and raping passengers in Lyft vehicles during paid rides. Alongside our brave plaintiff, we are eager to hold Lyft accountable."

The Complaint details that, while Lyft has, in recent years publicly acknowledged its sexual-assault crisis -- including the publication of Lyft’s Safety Transparency Report in 2021 and 2024 -- Lyft has failed to implement basic safety measures necessary to prevent these serious physical and sexual assaults, which continue to occur to this day.

As the Complaint further explains, Lyft continues to hire drivers without performing adequate background checks; continues to allow culpable drivers to keep driving for Lyft; and has failed to adopt and implement reasonable driver monitoring procedures and interventions designed to ensure the safety of its passengers. As a result, Lyft passengers, and especially female passengers, continue to be victims of sexual assaults by Lyft drivers.

The lawsuit states claims that include general negligence; negligent hiring, retention, and supervision; common carrier negligence; failure to warn; intentional misrepresentation; negligent misrepresentation; negligent infliction of emotional distress; vicarious liability; breach of contract; and product liability design defect, among other claims. The suit seeks economic, non-economic, and punitive damages as well as injunctive and equitable relief.

"Lyft has made it clear that passenger safety, particularly female passenger safety, is not its priority," notes Ms. Zegeye. "This lawsuit seeks to hold Lyft directly accountable for the harm its neglect has created."

A copy of the filed Complaint can be found here.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260313082034/en/

Lawsuit alleges physical and sexual assault and rape in Lyft vehicles during paid rides