A California Superior Court Judge granted a petition to consolidate Lyft sexual assault cases in California. The Hon. Kenneth Freeman granted a petition to consolidate multiple cases in which passengers allege they were sexually assaulted by sexual predators driving for Lyft after Lyft had been on actual notice of ongoing sexual assaults by its drivers. According to the multiple complaints, Lyft failed to respond to the sexual assaults by adopting and implementing the requisite hiring, monitoring and surveillance systems and procedures. The Hon. Kenneth Freeman recommended that a Coordination Trial Judge be assigned from the Complex Litigation Panel in San Francisco Superior Court.
The Law offices of Estey and Bomberger represents the majority of the plaintiffs that were consolidated.
A statement from attorney Mike Bomberger:
“To date, Lyft has adopted a policy of stalling and slowing lawsuits of sexual assault victims around the country. They have done this in order to avoid exposing the sexual predator crisis in their vehicles. This ruling, which Lyft fought vigorously, will assist in a more ordered process which will hopefully hold Lyft accountable for their litigation abuses. The ruling will consolidate the 34 Lyft plaintiffs we represent that have already filed lawsuits in front of one judge. The ruling will reduce the waste of judicial resources and the likelihood of inconsistent rulings on individual sexual assault cases. Sadly, such a ruling was necessary as Lyft refuses to take responsibility for the harm caused to the thousands of sexual assault victims assaulted by Lyft drivers.”
The San Diego law firm of Estey & Bomberger represents more than 100 victims of Lyft & Uber sexual assault.