Nachawati Law Group’s Ann Saucer Appointed to Leadership Role in Consolidated Sexual Assault Litigation Against Lyft

Allegations of inadequate safety measures by ridesharing provider expected to drive hundreds of claims

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ann Saucer, a veteran litigator and partner at Dallas-based Nachawati Law Group, has been appointed to the Plaintiffs’ Steering committee in federal multidistrict litigation against Lyft, the second-largest ridesharing provider in the United States.

Dozens of lawsuits alleging Lyft failed to protect passengers from sexual assaults by drivers are currently consolidated in the MDL, and the number of filed claims is expected to grow.

Plaintiffs in the MDL allege that Lyft failed to properly screen drivers or act on prior passenger safety complaints, failed to provide in-car surveillance cameras, failed to conduct in-depth background checks on drivers, and failed to enforce the company’s own anti-assault or harassment measures.

In her position on the committee, Ms. Saucer will support a streamlined discovery process and other pretrial proceedings in advance of bellwether trials or a negotiated resolution acceptable to all parties.

“It is an honor to go to work every day knowing that I am part of a great team fighting to remedy the scourge of sexual abuse,” said Ms. Saucer, who offers extensive experience in MDLs involving consumer protection, pharmaceuticals and toxic torts. A licensed attorney for more than 30 years, Ms. Saucer has won arguments before the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, the United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Mississippi Supreme Court sitting En Banc, the Dallas 5th Court of Appeals sitting En Banc, and state and federal trial courts across the nation.

The most recent Safety Transparency Report, published in July 2024 by Lyft; reports 2,641 instances of reported sexual assault by Lyft drivers in a two-year period between 2020 and 2022. However, a 2024 analysis from the U.S. Justice Department found that more than 66% of sexual assaults of all types are not reported. In addition to the federal MDL, nearly 2,000 Lyft sexual assault lawsuits are also coordinated in a separate proceeding in the California state court system.

The case is IN RE: LYFT, Inc. Passenger Sexual Assault Litigation, MDL No. 3171 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

About Nachawati Law Group

Nachawati Law Group represents individuals in mass tort litigation, businesses and governmental entities in contingent litigation and individual victims in complex personal injury litigation. For more information, visit https://ntrial.com.