Aimee Wagstaff Appointed Co-Lead Counsel in National Lyft Sexual Assault MDL

DENVER, March 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Wagstaff Law Firm announced today that founding partner Aimee Wagstaff was appointed Co-Lead Counsel in the federal multidistrict litigation (MDL) against Lyft, Inc. (In re: Lyft, Inc. Passenger Sexual Assault Litigation, 3:26-md-03171 (N.D. Cal., filed Feb. 5, 2026)), involving widespread allegations of sexual assault by rideshare drivers.

The MDL consolidates a growing number of lawsuits filed nationwide stemming from claims that Lyft failed to protect passengers despite years of reports involving sexual misconduct by drivers and mounting safety concerns.

"This litigation is about accountability at the highest level, and I'm honored to be part of the leadership team," Aimee Wagstaff said. "For years, survivors have come forward with similar stories, but warning signs were ignored, complaints overlooked, and preventable harm was allowed to continue. This MDL gives those voices a unified path to justice."

The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation created the proceeding in early 2026 to streamline discovery and pretrial proceedings as the number of cases continues to grow. Dozens of federal cases are already pending, with thousands of related claims filed in state courts and additional filings expected.

Plaintiffs across the country allege that Lyft built its platform by prioritizing rapid expansion over passenger safety, and failed to implement adequate background checks, ignoring prior complaints about dangerous drivers, and delaying critical safety features that could have prevented assaults.

Some lawsuits describe particularly egregious incidents, including assaults occurring during active rides with passengers in vulnerable situations which highlights what plaintiffs claim are systemic failures in Lyft's safety protocols and driver monitoring systems.

Ms. Wagstaff joins a select leadership team appointed by the court to guide the litigation through coordinated discovery, motion practice, and bellwether trials. Courts often reserve these roles for attorneys with demonstrated experience managing complex, high-stakes MDLs.

She brings extensive leadership experience in national mass tort proceedings, where she has taken on some of the largest corporations in the world and secured landmark results for plaintiffs. Her appointment signals the court's intent to move the litigation forward with experienced counsel capable of handling sensitive claims involving large numbers of survivors.

The Lyft MDL follows closely behind similar litigation involving Uber, where thousands of sexual assault claims have already been consolidated and tested through early trial proceedings, which could provide a roadmap for how rideshare litigation may unfold at scale.

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SOURCE Wagstaff Law Firm