Were you kidnapped by your Uber or Lyft driver? Did your Uber or Lyft driver refuse to let you out of the car? If so, you could have grounds to file a lawsuit against the rideshare company for false imprisonment.
If you are interested in learning more about the legal options available to you after you were falsely imprisoned by your Uber or Lyft driver, do not hestiate to contact the experts at our law firm as soon as possible. Here at the Downtown L.A. Law Group, we have decades of experience handling all sorts of injury claims. We are knowledgeable on rideshare incidents and are ready to fight for your rights. If you are ready to discuss your legal options with the experts at our firm, contact us today.
Understanding False ImprisonmentWhat is false imprisonment? False imprisonment is the act of holding someone against their will, similar to kidnapping. In false imprisonment, the victim is restrained intentionally without any legal grounds (unlawfully). False imprisonment is grounds to file a civil lawsuit; however, it is also a crime (either a misdemeanor or a felony depending on whether force or threat of force was used or not). Unfortunately, there is now a history of Uber and Lyft drivers preventing their passengers from exiting the vehicle. They might child-lock their doors, lock passengers in the vehicle, forcefully preventing passengers from exiting the vehicle, and even threatening force to prevent passengers from exiting the vehicle – no matter how the passenger was kept in the vehicle, the truth of the matter is that the incident can be found to be false imprisonment.
Our law firm is often approached by clients asking some of the following questions:
The answer to all these questions is simple – yes, you could have the right to sue for false imprisonment if your driver prevented you from exiting the vehicle. In the next few sections, you will find more information regarding your right to sue for false imprisonment.
Can I Sue?What are my rights if I was kept from leaving the Uber or Lyft vehicle? Can I file a lawsuit? You have the right to sue if you were falsely imprisoned by an Uber driver or Lyft driver. Your right to sue is based on California law.
According to California law, you are protected from being restrained against your will. You will essentially need to prove that you were intentionally imprisoned without your consent, and – of course – without any legal authority to do so. According to this law, victims of false imprisonment do not need to prove that there was any force used against them (that is, you can file sue for false imprisonment even if your Lyft or Uber driver did not use force against you).
Can I really file a false imprisonment lawsuit if I wasn’t harmed physically? Yes, you can file a lawsuit for false imprisonment even if you did not sustain any physical harm. Rather, you might have suffered significant mental and emotional harm. You could submit an emotional distress claim against Uber or Lyft for the mental and emotional harm resulting from the false imprisonment incident.
Is Uber liable for my false imprisonment? Is Lyft liable for my false imprisonment? Uber and Lyft are both quick to try to deny any liability for incidents involving their drivers. However, the rideshare companies can definitely be found liable. This is because an expert lawyer can easily prove that the actions of their drivers (the false imprisonment) directly reflects on the negligent hiring and supervising of the drivers. In fact, an experienced lawyer should have no issue whatsoever proving that Uber or Lyft are liable for a false arrest incident.
Contact us today for more information about your right to sue Uber or Lyft for false imprisonment.
What Should Victims Do?The most important thing to do if you find yourself in a false imprisonment situation is to get to a safe place. Once you are safe and away from the Lyft or Uber driver, you should contact the local authorities to file a report. It is also important that you take a screenshot of your rideshare app that shows the ride that the incident occurred on. Of course, you should also report the incident to Uber or to Lyft – you can do so directly through the app. If any witnesses were present (even anyone that saw you getting to safety), you should gather their contact information. If you sustained any injuries, you should photograph all injuries and get medical help as soon as possible.
You should also reach out to a lawyer with experience in cases against Uber and Lyft. Here at our law firm, our experts have experience with false imprisonment claims and are not afraid to take on these rideshare giants.
Your false imprisonment claim is subject to a statute of limitations, or a deadline to sue. If you fail to file your claim on time, you risk losing your right to file your lawsuit. How long do you have to sue for a false imprisonment? In California, false imprisonment claims have a one-year statute of limitations – as long as there was no force involved in the incident (if the incident can be considered a misdemeanor). If force or the threat of force was used in the false imprisonment, then claimants could have longer to file their lawsuits. Because claims are time-sensitive, it is essential that you seek legal assistance as soon as possible. Our rideshare false imprisonment attorneys are ready to help you file your claim on time.
Contact the Experts at Downtown L.A. Law Group TodayIf you or a loved one was the victim of false imprisonment at the hands of an Uber or Lyft driver, it is important that you seek legal assistance as soon as possible – as you could have grounds to file a false imprisonment lawsuit. Our lawyers have decades of experience and are not afraid to take on Uber or Lyft to fight for your rights. Our lawyers are more than ready to fight to protect your rights and get you a fair recovery, including medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, punitive damages, and legal fees, for example.
If you are ready to speak with our Uber and Lyft false imprisonment lawyers, contact us immediately. We offer free consultations and free second opinions – ensuring that you will not have to worry about paying to speak to our lawyers and get the guidance that you need. These are available as part of our Zero-Fee guarantee, so you will really never need to pay any upfront costs. In addition, we work on contingency, so you will not pay unless you win.
If you are ready to discuss your legal options with our false imprisonment attorneys, contact us today.
Other Pages on Our Website Related to This Topic
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Steps to take as a Uber/Lyft Passenger
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