Statute of Limitations
Texas civil SOL for sexual assault: 5 years from date of assault (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.0045). Minority tolling applies. Texas's 5-year period is more protective than the 2-year general personal injury SOL.
5 years from date of assault (minority tolling applies)
Where to File in Texas
Federal Consolidation — Uber MDL 3084 (N.D. Cal.): Texas plaintiffs with Uber claims are part of MDL No. 3084 pending before Judge Charles R. Breyer in the Northern District of California (San Francisco). While venued in California, Texas plaintiffs benefit from centralized discovery of Uber's corporate safety records, hiring practices, and internal communications without duplicating litigation across multiple Texas districts.
Lyft — California JCCP 5029: Lyft claims from Texas plaintiffs are coordinated in California state court under JCCP No. 5029 before Judge Ethan Schulman in San Francisco Superior Court. Texas plaintiffs may also pursue claims in Texas state courts; however, the California coordination proceeding provides a unified discovery pool covering Lyft's company-wide safety failures.
Texas Statute of Limitations: Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code § 16.003 sets a two-year general personal injury SOL. For sexual assault, § 16.0045 provides a five-year limitations period for survivors assaulted on or after September 1, 1995. The clock generally begins on the date of the assault, though the discovery rule may apply when the plaintiff did not immediately recognize the causal connection between the assault and their injuries.
Texas Rideshare Regulations and Mandatory Reporting: Texas Transportation Code Chapter 2402 regulates TNCs statewide, requiring national criminal background checks and prohibiting drivers with disqualifying offenses including sexual crimes. Texas mandatory reporting laws (Tex. Fam. Code § 261.101) require certain professionals to report sexual abuse of minors. TNCs are not currently enumerated as mandatory reporters for adult assault, but platform knowledge of prior incidents can support negligence claims under Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 95.003.
Exposure in Texas
Source: Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.0045
Source: Houston ARA
Source: Texas OAG
Clinics & Specialists in Texas
Ben Taub Hospital — Harris Health SANE Program
Houston Area Women's Center — SANE/Rape Crisis
Your Legal Team
Elena Vásquez
Partner
Houston, TX
Elena Vásquez is one of Texas's leading attorneys in civil sexual assault litigation, with 14 years of experience representing survivors in claims against individuals, institutions, and corporate defendants including Uber and Lyft. She practices with a trauma-informed philosophy developed in collaboration with licensed clinical social workers and is fluent in Spanish, allowing her to serve Spanish-speaking survivors who are often underrepresented in civil litigation. Elena has recovered over $40 million for her clients in sexual assault cases and is a frequent advocate for legislative reform of Texas's sexual assault civil statutes of limitations.
Education
- J.D., University of Texas School of Law (2012)
- B.A., Psychology, Rice University (2009)