On Wednesday, a woman from Cook County, Chicago sought legal action against Uber Technologies Inc and one of its drivers as she claimed that the driver mad unwanted sexual advances towards her, the Chicago Tribune said.
According to the lawsuit filed Cook County Circuit Court, the driver who had picked her up on March 8 started driving in a different direction. The plaintiff had moved up to the passenger seat in an attempt to help the driver, who later started to comment about her appearance and had asked her to go on a date with him. The driver allegedly became physical when he fondled her breasts, groin area and legs multiple times, the woman said in the lawsuit.
As the man drove to Lake Shore Drive, the plaintiff said that she had threatened the driver to call police, of which at that point, the driver tried to make her get out of the vehicle. The plaintiff added in the lawsuit that the incident concluded with the driver pulling off at Diversey Avenue and Clark Street and begged her to keep the incident quiet.
Chicago Tribune said that the plaintiff made no distinction of whether the driver in the lawsuit is from the black-car livery service that is regulated like a taxi company or from Uber X, which is a ride-share service. The paper said both companies are owned by a parent firm. when the paper contacted the plaintiff and her attorney about the lawsuit, they did not immediate return a request for comment.
On Wednesday night, a spokesperson for Uber said in an emailed statement that the company has deactivated the driver's account when the plaintiff contacted the company. It was not clear in the Chicago Tribune report whether Uber had received a copy of the lawsuit filed by the plaintiff or if Uber had contacted the plaintiff following the lawsuit.
