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Woman Sues Uber in London for £50,000, Claiming Driver Touched Her Breasts

Uber sued in London for £50,000 over sexual assault claims  11 photos
Photo: saffron-consultants.com
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In what is believed to be the first lawsuit of its kind in the U.K., one woman is taking Uber to court on the grounds that it’s liable for the actions of one of their drivers, who sexually assaulted her twice.

The incident happened in December 2015, when the woman hailed a ride in Leeds city center, The Sun reports. The driver reportedly touched the woman’s breasts twice during the ride and it left her traumatized.

“Lawyers claim the incident left the woman fearful, humiliated and suffering psychiatric problems,” the publication notes. “She has since been left with a ‘specific phobia’ and has been treated for depression. In papers filed at London’s High Court, her lawyers say they want damages of between £30,000 and £50,000 for personal injuries and losses.”

The attorneys also argue that Uber is liable for the driver’s actions, and not the driver himself. The woman and the driver’s identities have not been made public, but it is believed that this is the first case of this kind in the country.

Over in the U.S., one Washington, D.C. woman sued Uber and one driver after she was sexually assaulted on a ride in April 2018. The victim sued the ride-sharing company for negligence and consumer protection, saying Uber claims to offer a safe environment for women especially after a few drinks, when in reality it hires drivers who pray on them.

The woman is seeking $10 million in damages from both Uber and the driver, identified as Raul E. Rodriguez Vasquez by The Verge. After the incident, she informed a social worker, who contacted the police. There is physical evidence of the sexual abuse and the driver was in jail at the time the woman filed the civil suit last month.

Uber has been struggling with curbing dangerous, predatory behavior on the part of their drivers, in light of a multitude of recent events. In London alone, at the start of 2018, over 1,100 drivers had been accused of “category A” offenses, such as stalking, sexual incidents and dangerous driving. Overall, over 2,500 had been investigated for suspected offenses, following formal complaints from riders.
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About the author: Elena Gorgan
Elena Gorgan profile photo

Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends.
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