Over 3,900 Uber Sexual Assault Lawsuits Moving Forward, With Next Trial Set for Sept. 2026

Third federal bellwether trial will involve claims that Uber rehired a driver in Columbia despite a warrant for his arrest in the U.S. for raping a passenger in the backseat of his vehicle.

Nearly 4,000 women are now pursuing claims against Uber over alleged sexual assaults by drivers, as the rideshare company prepares for another key trial that may help shape the future of the litigation.

Uber sexual assault lawsuits have been filed in federal and state courts nationwide, with plaintiffs alleging they were sexually harassed, molested, raped or kidnapped after using the Uber app. Each complaint raises similar allegations that Uber failed to adopt adequate safety measures or background checks that could have better protected passengers from potential sexual predators.

Plaintiffs claim those measures should have included stronger background checks, sexual harassment training for drivers, surveillance cameras in vehicles, and an option allowing passengers to choose a driver’s gender through the Uber app. 

Uber Sexual Assault MDL

By October 2023, the litigation had already grown large enough that a panel of judges consolidated all federal Uber sexual assault lawsuits in the Northern District of California before U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer in a multidistrict litigation (MDL) for coordinated discovery and pretrial proceedings. 

Judge Breyer also announced there would be a series of early test cases designed to give the parties an indication of how juries are likely to respond to evidence and testimony common throughout the various claims.

Since then, the number of cases has continued to grow, with plaintiffs and defendants issuing a joint case management statement (PDF) on May 21 that noted there are currently 3,057 claims filed in the federal MDL, with another 854 cases pending in California state court. The report notes this includes 330 additional claims filed in recent weeks, but also indicates more than 200 claims have been dismissed over the same period.

According to the statement, the next bellwether trial is set to begin jury selection on September 14, 2026, with the trial expected to last about three weeks. It involves claims by a woman identified only as B.L., who says she was raped by her Uber driver in the back seat of his vehicle in San Jose, California, in August 2022. Her complaint indicates Uber rehired him despite a warrant out for his arrest over the incident after he fled to Columbia.

Uber Sexual Assault Lawsuit Trial Results

Several trials, including two bellwether cases, have already been held at the state and federal level, but the outcomes have failed to provide a clear picture on which direction the litigation will go.

The first Uber sexual assault lawsuit to go to trial was in California state court in September 2025, with the jury determining that Uber had been negligent in protecting its passengers. However, the jury found that Uber’s negligence did not substantially contribute to the plaintiff’s attack, and no damages were awarded.

In February, the first federal Uber sexual assault lawsuit to go to trial, brought by Jaylynn Dean, ended with an $8.5 million verdict after the jury determined Uber drivers are agents of the company under common carrier laws. However, the jury rejected claims of negligence on the company’s behalf and refused to award punitive damages.

A second bellwether trial ended in April, with plaintiff Brianna Mensing being awarded $5,000. Mensing never stated a dollar amount for damages and testified during trial that she wanted an apology from Uber more than she wanted money.

While the outcomes of these trials are not binding on other claims, they are being closely watched for signs of how juries may evaluate the evidence and what damages they may award. The results could have a significant impact on ongoing settlement negotiations, and some Uber sexual assault lawsuits have already reportedly been resolved through confidential settlements.

Following the bellwether trials, if the parties have not settled or otherwise resolved the majority of the litigation, Judge Breyer will likely begin remanding claims back to their original federal courts for individual trials.

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