Rideshare Sexual Assault (Uber/Lyft) Lawsuit in Georgia

Federal Consolidation — Uber MDL 3084 (N.D. Cal.): Georgia Uber plaintiffs are part of MDL No. 3084 before Judge Charles R. Breyer in San Francisco. Atlanta is one of the largest rideshare markets in the southeastern United States and one of Uber's most active markets, contributing significant plaintiff volume to the MDL. The MDL's San Francisco venue is logistically manageable for Atlanta-based counsel given daily direct flights.

Lyft — California JCCP 5029: Georgia Lyft claims are coordinated in JCCP No. 5029 before Judge Ethan Schulman in San Francisco Superior Court. Georgia plaintiffs may alternatively pursue claims in Fulton County Superior Court (Atlanta) under Georgia negligence law. The JCCP proceeding provides access to Lyft's company-wide safety records including its internal incident reporting database.

Georgia Statute of Limitations: Georgia's statute of limitations for personal injury including sexual assault is two years under OCGA § 9-3-33. For childhood sexual abuse, OCGA § 9-3-33.1 (eff. July 1, 2015) provides a 23-year SOL running from the date the minor turns 18, eliminating the SOL entirely for abuse occurring on or after July 1, 2015. Adult survivors of rideshare assault must file within two years of the assault date, subject to the discovery rule and any fraudulent concealment by Uber or Lyft.

Georgia Rideshare Regulations and Mandatory Reporting: Georgia TNC Act (OCGA § 33-1-24) requires national criminal background checks, MVR checks, and sex offender registry searches for all TNC drivers. Drivers with any sexual offense conviction or felony conviction within the past seven years are disqualified. Georgia's mandatory reporting law (OCGA § 19-7-5) requires certain professionals to report child abuse; adult sexual assault is reported under OCGA § 17-4-20. The Georgia Public Service Commission and Department of Insurance oversee TNC compliance.