New Jersey Lyft Sexual Assault Attorney

Every day, thousands of people use rideshare services like Lyft as a convenient way to travel. Nearly all of them will have a pleasant experience and may only need to worry about the traffic during their ride. For a few however, a Lyft ride becomes an opportunity for sexual assault to be committed against them by their driver. If you or a loved one were sexually assaulted by a Lyft driver, or while using Lyft’s services, you could be entitled to financial compensation.

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 claim. Survivors of a Lyft sexual assault deserve justice. Criminals deserve to be held accountable for their actions. Both the person who attacked you and Lyft could potentially be liable for damages in a lawsuit.

The Case Against Lyft

Many people use rideshare services like Lyft when they are unable to drive themselves because they have been out drinking. This creates an opportunity for a driver to take advantage of a passenger who is intoxicated or otherwise vulnerable, and assault them in the car or once they have arrived at their destination. Sometimes a driver will pretend to help an intoxicated rider into their home and assault them inside. The majority of sexual assaults reported to Lyft were committed under these circumstances.

Numerous big sexual assault claims against Lyft and Lyft drivers have been filed recently. One case involves 19 women who were assaulted by Lyft drivers; another has 14 plaintiffs. The lawsuits both allege that Lyft had not adequately protected its passengers by failing to fully vet drivers and allowing drivers who have had complaints of sexual misconduct to still work for the company.

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

The Todd J. Leonard Law Firm Can Help

If you were inappropriate touched without your consent by a Lyft driver, or sexually assaulted while using Lyft’s services, you can potentially take legal action against your attacker and Lyft. 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 Lyft, and holding them fully accountable. We are committed to fighting for justice for survivors of sexual assault.