Rideshare Sexual Assault (Uber/Lyft) Lawsuit in Florida

Federal Consolidation — Uber MDL 3084 (N.D. Cal.): Florida Uber plaintiffs are transferred to MDL No. 3084 before Judge Charles R. Breyer in the Northern District of California. Florida is a high-volume state in the MDL given the large rideshare market in Miami, Orlando, Tampa, and Jacksonville. MDL consolidation provides access to nationwide Uber discovery without duplicating expert work across Florida's multiple federal districts.

Lyft — California JCCP 5029: Lyft sexual assault claims from Florida survivors are coordinated in JCCP No. 5029 before Judge Ethan Schulman in San Francisco Superior Court. Florida plaintiffs may alternatively file in Florida state courts, but the JCCP proceeding allows shared expert retention and coordinated motion practice on common liability issues.

Florida Statute of Limitations: Florida's statute of limitations for sexual battery claims (Fla. Stat. § 95.11(7)) was extended to seven years from the date of the assault for adult survivors. Minors have until age 25 or seven years from the assault (whichever is later). Florida's 2023 legislative changes also eliminated the SOL for certain crimes of sexual violence against minors. Survivors assaulted as adults should act promptly given the seven-year period and the discovery-intensive nature of these cases.

Florida Rideshare Safety Regulations: Florida Statutes § 627.748 governs TNCs and requires national criminal background checks and annual motor vehicle record checks. Drivers with any felony conviction or sexual offense are permanently disqualified. Florida law does not yet require fingerprint-based FBI background checks for TNC drivers, a gap that plaintiffs' attorneys have highlighted in negligent hiring claims. Florida's Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles oversees TNC compliance.