- August 28, 2024
- Community
Rideshare opportunities have taken the world by storm as an alternative to owning an automobile. In fact, as of 2018, 36 percent of U.S. residents utilized rideshare apps such as Lyft and Uber, representing a third of the population. Though they have grown in popularity, there are also risks and concerns that come along with rideshares that have risen in frequency and severity as well. In today’s community blog, your Dallas, TX catastrophic injury attorneys reflect on a recent incident in which a 12-year old girl was sexually assaulted by an Uber driver, as well as discuss the need for improved passenger safety.
The Recent Assault of a 12-Year Old Girl
Recently, a 12-year old girl ordered an uber to pick her up in Frisco to drive her to and drop her off at therapy. Instead of this, the uber driver parked in a Plano parking lot and sexually assaulted the girl. As unfortunate as this incident is, it is far from the first of its kind. In 2022, Uber deactivated another driver’s account for sexually assaulting an SMU student. With incidents such as these affecting more and more people, it is no doubt that many are championing that something more needs to be done. To learn more about this news and other incidents of rideshare sexual assault, contact our office today.
Brogdon Weighs In
Not only does our firm represent individuals in rideshare situations such as the ones discussed above, but our very own partner Quentin Brogdon has represented at least represented at least fifteen individual in cases of alleged rape or sexual assault by rideshare drivers. Moreover, rideshare companies have been aware of this problem for many years, according to Brogdon, and most legislation that has been put in place primarily involves rideshare driver protections.
“Uber and Lyft have mounted a concerted campaign over the last seven to eight years to write laws for legislatures that are written by and for Uber and Lyft that have one purpose and one purpose only: to protect Uber and Lyft and to inoculate them from any legal responsibility when bad things happen,” Brogdon said.
Uber and Other RideShare Apps
Though Uber has directed people to their 2019 and 2020 safety reports indicating that 99.9% of rides ended incident-free, 4,000 cases of sexual assault were reported at this time, and riders identified drivers as the culprit in 40% of those cases. Partner Quentin Brogdon testified in front of lawmakers saying more must be done, arguing against legislation that does not support the injured individual and instead benefits the company.
Speak With Our Team
Individual safety should be a priority when it comes to rideshare companies, and more needs to be done to ensure it. Contact Crain Brogdon LLP in Dallas, TX by calling (214) 522-9404 to speak with a representative from our team and schedule your initial consultation today.
Attorney Quentin Brogdon
Quentin Brogdon has over thirty years of experience and expertise in the field of personal injury trial law. He is board certified in both personal injury trial law and civil trial advocacy. Quentin has received an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest possible rating. This rating reflects an attorney’s ethics and abilities according to reviews from fellow attorneys. [ Attorney Bio ]
