Uber Assault

Uber Technologies Inc. faces over 2,700 pending federal lawsuits in MDL No. 3084 (In re: Uber Technologies, Inc., Passenger Sexual Assault Litigation), consolidated before Judge Charles R. Breyer in the Northern District of California. The first federal bellwether trial is scheduled for December 8, 2025, following Breyer's July 2025 ruling dismissing fraud and product liability claims while preserving negligence theories and claims related to the app's lack of gender-matching options. Plaintiffs allege Uber failed to implement adequate driver screening and safety protocols despite receiving thousands of assault reports annually.

MDL 3084 is in active bellwether phase before Judge Charles R. Breyer in the Northern District of California. The first federal bellwether trial concluded February 2026 with an $8.5 million verdict for plaintiff Jaylynn Dean. Second bellwether trial involving plaintiff 'WHB 823' is scheduled for jury selection April 13, 2026. Daubert and summary judgment motions were due March 10, 2026 per joint pretrial schedule.

Uber's US Safety Reports document 3,842 severe sexual assault reports (2019-2020) and thousands more 2017-2022; 80,000 drivers removed via continued background checks. MDL 3084 spans all 50 states with 2,700+ pending federal actions as of late 2025.

• California

  Vicarious liability under respondeat superior and common carrier non-delegable duty theories survived dismissal per Judge Charles R. Breyer's August 15, 2024 order (Pretrial Order No. 17, Dkt. 384). San Francisco Superior Court coordinated proceeding (No. CJC21005188) involved 1,201 plaintiffs as of 2024 per Doe v. Uber, A167458/A167709. California Court of Appeal First Appellate District affirmed forum non conveniens stays for non-California incidents June 24, 2024.

• Texas

  TNC statute bars most vicarious liability unless plaintiffs prove gross negligence; negligence claims preserved per MDL 3084 Pretrial Order No. 17 (Dkt. 387, August 15, 2024). Jane Doe LSA 35 (2017 assault) subject to forum non conveniens stay.

• Hawaii

  Jane Doe WHBE 3 assault (January 13, 2020) subject to forum non conveniens stay; California Court of Appeal found adequate alternative forum exists. Incident location outside California with non-California plaintiff and assailant per A167458.

• Illinois

  Uber filed motion to dismiss under Illinois law as one of five selected states in MDL 3084 coordinated discovery; specific ruling not detailed in available materials.

• New York

  Uber filed motion to dismiss under New York law as one of five selected states in MDL 3084 coordinated discovery; specific ruling not detailed in available materials.

• Florida

  Uber filed motion to dismiss under Florida law as one of five selected states in MDL 3084 coordinated discovery; specific ruling not detailed in available materials.

• Northern District of California

  MDL 3084 centralized 22 actions October 4, 2023 (JPML Transfer Order, 699 F.Supp.3d 1396); Master Long-Form Complaint filed February 15, 2024 (Case No. 3:23-MD-03084-CRB, Dkt. 269); 2,700+ pending lawsuits as of late 2025; first federal bellwether trial scheduled early 2026.

MDL 3084 (N.D. Cal., Judge Chhabria) now exceeds 3,188 plaintiffs as of February 2026. California JCCP runs parallel with separate state bellwether track. Hawaii plaintiff filed August 2023 incident just before SOL deadline—monitor 2023 incidents in short-SOL states closely. Federal forum selection critical for Florida and Illinois plaintiffs given restrictive state SOLs and MDL court's 2024 dismissal rulings.