Rideshare Sexual Assault Lawyers in Northern Illinois

Personal Attention After Sexual Assault in an Uber or Lyft

Rideshare sexual assault claims require close analysis of the driver’s conduct, the company’s practices, and the records connected to the ride. At Turner Law Group, we represent survivors and families pursuing civil claims involving Uber and Lyft throughout DeKalb County, Illinois, Kane County, Kendall County, and Northern Illinois.

Our firm has represented individuals and families in Illinois personal injury claims since 1981. Led by Attorneys Rick Turner, Margie Komes Putzler, and Lauren Edmunds, we give each client individual attention and build claims around the specific incident, available evidence, and the survivor's losses.

Speak with us about an Uber or Lyft sexual assault claim. Call (800) 653-0198 to request a free consultation.

Who May Be Liable for a Rideshare Sexual Assault?

A survivor may have a civil claim against the individual rideshare driver. Depending on the facts, the rideshare company’s actions or failures may also support a liability claim. These are separate questions that require analysis of the specific incident.

Rideshare sexual assault litigation may involve allegations of inadequate driver screening, failures to address earlier passenger complaints, or insufficient safety features and driver monitoring. Whether an allegation can proceed depends on what occurred, what the company knew, and which records are available.

Claims Under the Illinois Gender Violence Act

The Illinois Gender Violence Act permits civil actions for qualifying gender-related violence. The law may also impose liability on an employer for violence committed by an employee or agent in the course of employment when statutory failures involving supervision, training, monitoring, investigation, or remedial measures apply.

Whether a rideshare company meets the law’s requirements for liability can depend on the relationship between the parties and evidence about company practices. We examine those issues without assuming every assault involving a driver creates the same claims.

Illinois Filing Periods for Sexual Assault Civil Claims

Illinois adult sexual assault civil claims generally have a two-year filing period from the date of injury under 735 ILCS 5/13-202. The Illinois Gender Violence Act may provide a different period, generally seven years after the cause of action accrued.

Illinois also imposes no time limit on a civil claim when the perpetrator was convicted of a Class X felony arising from the same conduct. Filing periods can depend on the claims asserted, the survivor’s circumstances, and the criminal case, if one exists. A legal review can determine which deadline controls.

Evidence in an Uber or Lyft Sexual Assault Claim

Evidence can establish the ride timeline, document what was reported, and show how the incident affected the survivor. We identify relevant material based on the circumstances and the records that exist.

Records that may be important include:

• Rideshare trip data: Ride confirmations, route information, pickup and drop-off details, driver identification, and app-based trip records.
• Communications and reports: In-app messages, communications with the rideshare company, incident reports, and related correspondence.
• Medical or counseling documentation: Records of treatment or counseling connected to the incident and its effects.
• Facility or personnel records: Available records from locations or personnel connected to the ride or incident.

Survivors and families should preserve available ride details, app communications, reports, and treatment documentation. Evidence differs from case to case, and a missing category of records doesn’t by itself determine whether a claim can proceed.

Financial Losses & Personal Effects

We evaluate measurable financial losses, including qualifying medical or counseling expenses and other documented costs connected to the assault.

Damages may also address pain, suffering, and personal effects that can’t be measured solely through bills or receipts. The assessment must reflect the evidence and the survivor’s individual experience. We don’t use a standard dollar estimate because the nature and extent of these losses differ in every case.