Woman with wet hair sitting in the backseat of a car on a rainy evening.

Rideshare Sexual Assault in San Antonio, TX

Rideshare services including Uber and Lyft serve millions of riders across San Antonio each year — through the River Walk and Pearl District, along the entertainment corridors of Southtown and St. Mary’s Strip, around the University of Texas at San Antonio, and across the broader Bexar County region. Both Uber’s and Lyft’s own safety reports have documented thousands of reported incidents of sexual assault on their platforms nationally. When corporate negligence allows driver abuse to occur, the company can be held legally responsible.

If you or someone you know was sexually assaulted by a rideshare driver in San Antonio, you are not alone and there are legal options available to you. Edward O. Moody, P.A. handles rideshare sexual assault cases in San Antonio and throughout Texas with complete confidentiality and the same commitment to justice that has defined our practice for over four decades.

Why Rideshare Companies May Be Legally Liable in San Antonio

Transportation network companies like Uber and Lyft are recognized under the law as common carriers, which means they owe a heightened duty of care to their passengers. This standard includes conducting thorough background checks, monitoring driver behavior, and taking appropriate action when misconduct is reported.

Texas courts have increasingly held that classification of drivers as independent contractors does not shield rideshare companies from all liability for sexual misconduct. The legal theories supporting company liability in San Antonio cases include:

Negligent Hiring: Failure to conduct meaningful background screening before allowing a driver onto the platform.

Negligent Retention: Continuing to allow a driver’s access to the platform after receiving complaint information or red-flag indicators.

Platform Design Liability: Design decisions — including how driver identity is presented, how complaints are processed, and how safety features are implemented — that created foreseeable harm.

Categories of Rideshare Misconduct Recognized in Civil Claims

Tier 1 — Severe Sexual Assault: Rape, anal intercourse, digital penetration, forced manual stimulation, and forced oral copulation. These are the gravest forms of misconduct and typically give rise to the strongest civil claims.

Tier 2 — Sexual Misconduct and Unwanted Contact: Unwanted touching or attempts to touch intimate body parts including breasts, buttocks, genitals, or inner thighs, over or under clothing; indecent exposure with physical contact; driver masturbation in the passenger’s presence.

Civil cases have a lower burden of proof than criminal trials, and a civil claim can proceed independently of or simultaneously with any criminal prosecution.

Texas civil claims for sexual assault are generally subject to a two-year statute of limitations under CPRC § 16.003. Acting sooner helps preserve evidence — GPS records, trip data, surveillance footage, and in-app communications can be lost or overwritten over time.

FAQ

Yes — completely. Your initial consultation with our firm creates no public record and is strictly confidential. Civil cases can often be settled with confidential terms. We approach rideshare sexual abuse cases with the sensitivity and gravity they deserve. You are under no obligation to proceed after speaking with us.

No. A civil claim against a rideshare company is filed in civilian state or federal court and is entirely separate from your military service. Your status as active duty or a veteran does not affect your eligibility to file or the outcome of your case. We handle all aspects of the legal process professionally and confidentially.

Texas law generally provides two years from the date of the incident to file a civil claim for sexual assault under CPRC § 16.003. There are limited circumstances where this period may be extended, including when the survivor was a minor at the time. We strongly encourage you to contact us as early as possible — acting sooner preserves evidence and keeps more legal options open.

Contact Edward O. Moody, P.A. for a confidential consultation about your San Antonio rideshare sexual assault case. Call 501-376-0000.