Sauder Schelkopf is actively investigating potential claims on behalf of individuals who experienced sexual assault or sexual misconduct during Uber rides in the United States. A recent New York Times investigation revealed that Uber received over 400,000 reports of sexual misconduct between 2017 and 2022—far more than previously disclosed by the company.
Internal Uber records and court filings suggest the company:
- Withheld full data on the scope of reported assaults, publicly citing only a fraction of incidents;
- Tested but failed to fully implement safety measures—including real-time audio/video recording, women-only ride options, and predictive safety algorithms;
- Knowingly dispatched “high-risk” drivers and trips based on internal safety scores;
- Chose to limit safety interventions in part to preserve its business model of classifying drivers as independent contractors;
- Undermined the credibility of survivors in media narratives and legal filings;
- Delayed safety innovations over fear of lawsuits, political backlash, and profit impact.
Despite public commitments to transparency, Uber limited its safety reporting to only the most severe categories of assault and omitted predictive trend data (such as timing and location patterns) to avoid “serious business implications,” according to internal presentations.
More than 3,000 survivors have filed lawsuits alleging sexual assault or harassment by Uber drivers. While Uber has settled over 100 claims to date, it continues to dispute liability, arguing that drivers are independent contractors and that incidents are statistically rare.
In court, Uber has sought access to survivors’ medical and social media records, and in some cases has challenged whether rides even occurred. However, a California judge recently moved to unseal hundreds of pages of internal documents, paving the way for expanded legal exposure.
Potential Claims
Survivors may have legal claims under state tort law, civil rights statutes, and consumer protection laws. Sauder Schelkopf is particularly interested in cases involving:
- Uber’s failure to act on prior misconduct reports for a driver;
- Inadequate trip monitoring or response to route deviations;
- Repeat assaults linked to known high-risk patterns or flagged accounts;
- Corporate policies that knowingly deprioritized safety in favor of profit.
Contact Us
If you or a loved one has experienced sexual misconduct during an Uber ride, contact our attorneys confidentially by completing the form on this page. Our firm has a long history of standing up for survivors and holding powerful corporations accountable.
Sauder Schelkopf is a nationally recognized law firm specializing in sexual abuse litigation, with a proven track record of securing significant settlements and achieving systemic reforms for survivors.
Notable Achievements:
- University of Southern California (USC) Settlement: The firm, in collaboration with co-counsel, secured a historic $215 million settlement on behalf of female patients of Dr. George Tyndall, a USC gynecologist accused of sexual misconduct since the 1990s. This settlement is among the largest in sex abuse cases and includes provisions for systemic changes in reporting and investigating sexual abuse on campus.
- Ohio State University (OSU) Litigation: Representing former students and athletes, Sauder Schelkopf is involved in litigation concerning sexual misconduct by Dr. Richard Strauss, a former OSU doctor. In June 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear OSU’s appeal, allowing the case to proceed to trial.
- As of January 2025, Ohio State University has paid approximately $40.9 million to settle lawsuits from 162 men who alleged sexual abuse by Dr. Richard Strauss, a former team doctor.
- In June 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear OSU’s appeal, allowing lawsuits brought by alleged sexual abuse victims of Dr. Strauss to proceed.
- As of October 2023, five lawsuits involving 236 men remained pending.
- University of Michigan Settlement: The firm achieved a class action settlement against the University of Michigan, resulting in landmark institutional reforms addressing on-campus sexual misconduct.
- Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health Lawsuit: Sauder Schelkopf filed a lawsuit against Devereux, alleging sexual, physical, and emotional abuse of children in their care. The firm is seeking compensatory and other damages for the victims.
- Glen Mills Schools Abuse Lawsuit: The firm is representing former students of The Glen Mills Schools, a now-closed detention center, in a class action lawsuit seeking damages for physical and sexual abuse suffered during their time there.
Through these and other cases, Sauder Schelkopf has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to advocating for survivors of sexual abuse, achieving substantial financial settlements, and driving meaningful changes within institutions to prevent future misconduct.
Experience Matters
Sauder Schelkopf has a nationally recognized litigation practice. The firm currently serves as court-appointed lead counsel in courts across the country. The attorneys at Sauder Schelkopf have recovered over $1 billion on behalf of their clients and class members. Our firm was recognized by the Legal Intelligencer’s 2022 Professional Excellence Awards. The Legal Intelligencer’s Professional Excellence Awards honor Pennsylvania law firms and attorneys who have made a significant, positive impact on the legal profession. Our firm was named in the Litigation Departments of the Year (Specialty Area category; runner-up), an award that honors the best litigation practice in a small or mid-sized firm in Pennsylvania. This recognition was based on the firm’s 2021 litigation work and its important ongoing cases. LawDragon has recognized our attorneys in its list of the “500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers” for 2022. This list notes: “From the opioid epidemic to toxic substances and defective products, truck accidents to wildfires and sexual abuse, these are the lawyers who stand on the front line in individual lawsuits and class actions seeking justice.” Mr. Schelkopf was named to Pennsylvania’s Best Lawyers® 2022 for Class Actions/Mass Tort Litigation. The American Lawyer named Mr. Sauder to its 2021 Northeast Trailblazers. The honor recognizes 60 lawyers who are “truly agents of change.” It “recognizes professionals in the Northeast who have moved the needle in the legal industry.” The Legal Intelligencer named Mr. Sauder and Mr. Schelkopf in its 2020 Pennsylvania Trailblazers list recognizing 31 lawyers who “have taken extra measures to contribute to positive outcomes . . . and who are truly agents of change.” The Legal highlighted the firm’s innovative work on advocacy as class counsel in large institutional sex abuse cover-ups, women’s, and children’s rights. Our attorneys have also consistently been recognized by their peers being named to Pennsylvania SuperLawyer, a distinction held by the top 5% of attorneys in Pennsylvania. The National Trial Lawyers Association has also selected our attorneys as the Top 100 Trial Lawyers in Pennsylvania.
We Want to Hear from You
If you or a loved one has experienced sexual misconduct during an Uber ride, contact our attorneys confidentially by completing the form on this page. Our firm has a long history of standing up for survivors and holding powerful corporations accountable.