Getting into an Uber or Lyft should feel routine. For far too many people across Illinois, a rideshare sexual assault has turned an ordinary trip into a traumatic experience. What happens when a driver uses that private, confined space to commit sexual assault or abuse? The answer is not only a matter for the criminal courts. Assault victims may also pursue civil claims, meaning a separate legal case focused on financial accountability and compensation, not criminal punishment.
At the Illinois law firm of Levin, Riback & Adelman, our lawyers represent victims of sexual assault throughout Illinois, including bringing civil claims against rideshare drivers and companies. If you or someone you care about was sexually assaulted during a rideshare trip, our sexual assault claims attorneys can help.
A sexual assault is a serious criminal offense, but victims can also seek justice through the civil courts. The criminal justice system and the civil justice system are not connected, which means you can pursue a civil lawsuit against the rideshare driver who assaulted you even if criminal charges are not filed.
A civil claim, in plain terms, is a lawsuit filed by a victim (the plaintiff) against the person and others responsible for the harm (the defendants). The goal is not sending the criminal to jail, like it is with criminal cases. The goal with a civil lawsuit is financial compensation, which the law calls “damages,” for the physical, emotional, and financial harm the assault caused.
The driver is not the only one who can be held responsible for the assault. Illinois law also allows claims against the rideshare company itself in certain situations. This aspect of the claim can involve issues like negligent hiring, negligent retention, or failure to implement reasonable safety measures and background checks.
Claims against Uber or Lyft often focus on whether the company:
Survivors sometimes wonder if what happened to them is an isolated incident or part of a larger pattern. However, court cases and news reports reflect a systemic problem, not a series of random events.
From 2017 to 2022, Uber received a total of 400,181 reports of sexual assault or misconduct, according to court documents. This figure is significantly higher than what Uber had previously disclosed in their public safety reports. Similarly, Lyft reported over 2,650 sexual assaults from 2020 to 2022, in their transparency report, but similar to Uber’s numbers, that figure could be far higher.
Illinois is not insulated from these incidents. In DuPage County, an Uber driver was convicted of sexually abusing a passenger. ABC7 Chicago has previously reported about individuals posing as Uber or Lyft drivers who have targeted riders leaving bars and nightclubs late at night.
Civil litigation is one of the primary mechanisms available to hold these companies responsible for sexual assaults. A panel of judges consolidated a number of federal cases against Uber into a multidistrict litigation (MDL) for pre-trial proceedings and, as of June 2026, the case includes over 3,571 active cases. In February 2026, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation consolidated 17 Lyft sexual assault lawsuits into an MDL. The total Lyft MDL count as of June 2026 is 54.
Many sex assault survivors worry that filing a lawsuit will expose their identity publicly. In many cases, survivors can file under initials or a pseudonym to protect their privacy. Courts in Illinois often grant requests for anonymity in sexual assault lawsuits to shield survivors from unwanted exposure while still allowing them to pursue justice and compensation through the legal system.
Your attorney will walk you through the process and help you obtain evidence needed for your claim. Helpful evidence can include:
Other types include therapy records, medical records, app data, GPS data, prior driver complaints, rideshare safety records, and proof that the company could have reduced the risk before the assault happened.
The in-app record itself is very helpful. The rideshare application logs trip data, including driver identity, route, timing, and any prior complaints. Your attorney can send legal preservation requests to Uber or Lyft to prevent that data from being deleted before it can be collected.
In Illinois, individuals generally have two years from the date of the assault to file a related lawsuit. Certain conditions may extend the statute of limitations, so it is important to speak with an experienced rideshare lawyer to inquire about filing an Uber or Lyft rideshare lawsuit in Illinois.
The safest approach is to speak with an attorney as soon as possible. Waiting to see how a criminal case resolves, or waiting until you feel emotionally ready to engage in the legal process, can sometimes affect your options.
A few patterns tend to come up in rideshare sexual assault cases that can create problems down the road.
Reporting to the app but not preserving the record. Reporting an incident through the Uber or Lyft app is a reasonable step, but many find the companies’ response to the event to be inadequate when filing a report alone. An in-app report does not substitute for preserving screenshots, saving trip data, and contacting an attorney who can send formal legal preservation requests.
Waiting too long to seek medical attention. Visiting a hospital or clinic after an assault serves two purposes. It addresses immediate physical and emotional needs, and it creates a medical record that can document the harm. Whether you go to Stroger Hospital of Cook County, a local urgent care in Naperville, or a community health clinic in Rockford, that documentation can matter later.
Assuming a civil case requires a criminal case first. This misunderstanding causes some survivors to wait, or to give up entirely when criminal charges are not pursued. Civil liability does not depend on a criminal conviction.
Talking to the rideshare company’s representatives without legal guidance. Uber and Lyft have legal teams. When they contact a survivor, it is not in a neutral capacity. Speaking with an attorney before engaging with company representatives can protect your position.
Civil cases involving rideshare sexual assault can take different paths depending on the facts and the parties involved.
Some cases proceed as individual lawsuits filed in Illinois state court, such as the Circuit Court of Cook County in Chicago, or in federal court in the Northern District of Illinois. Others may be eligible for inclusion in the federal MDL proceedings currently underway against Uber.
Many civil cases are resolved through confidential settlements. Others may go to trial with a judge or a jury. Many companies will attempt to pay you as little money as possible to make your claim go away, do not try to settle your claim on your own.
What happened to you was not your fault. While a civil claim cannot undo the harm committed against you, it can hold the responsible people and companies accountable. At the law firm of Levin, Riback & Adelman, we have handled many sexual assault claims, so we know what you are facing. We also represent survivors in other settings, including institutional sexual abuse and workplace sexual abuse claims. Let us help you.
It costs you nothing to learn about your options in a confidential consultation with one of our experienced lawyers. Contact our law office today without any obligation.
Every claim is different and a case value depends heavily on the specific facts, the severity of the assault, the available evidence, the parties named as defendants, and the long-term impact on the victim. Survivors may seek compensation for emotional distress, psychological trauma, therapy costs, lost income, and other damages related to the assault.
No. A police report is not required to pursue a civil rideshare sexual assault lawsuit. Many survivors choose not to report the matter to police, but civil claims can still proceed based on evidence, records, and testimony.
Yes. A civil lawsuit does not require criminal charges or a conviction. Survivors can still file a claim against an Uber driver and the rideshare company itself if evidence shows negligence or misconduct, even if prosecutors choose not to pursue criminal charges.
Potentially, yes. The rideshare company may be liable for a driver’s actions if the company was negligent in screening, monitoring, or responding to complaints about the driver.
You should get in touch with an experienced attorney even if you believe the statute of limitations may have expired. There may be exceptions that apply to your situation, and an attorney can evaluate the timeline and advise on your options.
These lawsuits are typically filed anonymously. Your name would not be listed, but instead would say Jane or John Doe, meaning it would not likely be publicly searchable.
Both Uber and Lyft cases are being actively litigated. Lyft has also faced rideshare sexual assault lawsuits. Plaintiffs in those cases similarly allege inadequate driver screening, weak safety measures, and failure to protect passengers from sexual assault by drivers.
We are committed to protecting your interests and helping you to pursue a just outcome to your case through compassionate, considerate and effective legal representation. Speak to an experienced and approachable lawyer in confidence about your case by calling 312-728-4043 today. Alternatively, you can send us a message online to request a free consultation.
