Statute of Limitations
New York civil SOL for sexual assault: 20 years from date of assault (CPLR § 214-j, Adult Survivors Act). Minority tolling additionally applies for minor survivors. New York City separately requires fingerprint-based background checks for TLC-licensed drivers.
20 years from date of assault (minority tolling additionally applies)
Where to File in New York
Federal Consolidation — Uber MDL 3084 (N.D. Cal.): New York Uber plaintiffs are part of MDL No. 3084 before Judge Charles R. Breyer in San Francisco. New York City is one of the top rideshare markets in the MDL with a large plaintiff volume from the five boroughs. New York City's Taxi and Limousine Commission separately licenses rideshare drivers, creating an additional layer of regulatory evidence available in discovery.
Lyft — California JCCP 5029: New York Lyft claims are coordinated in JCCP No. 5029 before Judge Ethan Schulman in San Francisco Superior Court. New York plaintiffs may also bring claims in New York state courts under New York's favorable Adult Survivors Act window, which has now closed, but filed claims remain active in New York courts with the JCCP providing discovery coordination.
New York Statute of Limitations — Adult Survivors Act: New York CPLR § 208-b (Adult Survivors Act) opened a one-year lookback window from November 24, 2022 to November 23, 2023, during which survivors could file claims regardless of when the assault occurred. That window is now closed. Going forward, New York's standard SOL for intentional tort (assault/battery) is one year, while negligence claims against corporate defendants carry a three-year SOL under CPLR § 214. The discovery rule may further toll the SOL where the survivor did not recognize the connection between the assault and Uber/Lyft's negligence.
New York Rideshare Regulations and Mandatory Reporting: New York Vehicle & Traffic Law Article 44-B regulates TNCs statewide, while New York City TLC rules impose additional driver screening and vehicle requirements. New York's mandatory reporting law (Social Services Law § 413) requires certain professionals to report child abuse; adult sexual assault is reported under Criminal Procedure Law. New York is one of the few states that fingerprints TLC-licensed drivers in New York City, a standard plaintiffs argue should apply statewide and nationally to rideshare drivers.
Exposure in New York
Source: CPLR § 214-j
Source: NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission
Source: Platform data 2024
Clinics & Specialists in New York
Bellevue Hospital Center — SANE Program
Safe Horizon — Rape, Sexual Assault & Incest Hotline
Your Legal Team
Marcus Thompson
Partner
New York, NY
Marcus Thompson has spent 15 years litigating institutional abuse cases in New York, building particular expertise in sexual assault claims against transportation companies and other corporate defendants. He has successfully prosecuted rideshare sexual assault claims under New York's Adult Survivors Act and the extended civil SOL provisions enacted in 2022. Marcus is known for his meticulous approach to discovery — he has deposed Uber and Lyft safety executives on multiple occasions and developed deep expertise in the platforms' driver screening and complaint handling systems. His practice is explicitly survivor-centered, and he works with a trauma specialist in his firm to support clients throughout the legal process.
Education
- J.D., Columbia Law School (2011)
- B.A., History, Yale University (2008)