Uber Passenger Captured on Video Assaulting Driver, Now Suing That Driver for $5 million

[PeterG]

Last October, Benjamin Golden hired an Uber driver, but was too drunk to communicate to the driver where he was to be taken. So the driver pulled over saying the ride was over. Golden then assaulted the Uber driver, which was recorded by that driver. Originally Golden was apologetic to everyone for his actions, but now after being fired from his executive job at Taco Bell, has decided to sue the driver (Edward Caban) for recording Golden without his permission (against California law).

Former Taco Bell exec sues Uber driver he was filmed drunkenly beating down for $5 million

Before this lawsuit was filed, Golden had been filmed crying in interviews apologizing for his actions:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vpi6kWim2g4

Edward Caban had filed a lawsuit after the attack for $25,000 for "assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligent infliction of emotional distress". But Golden sure has upped the ante with his five million dollar lawsuit against the man he physically assaulted...

 

[snoopy]

This is unfortunate. Whether this lawsuit is frivolous or not, the über driver and most likely uber are going to incur legal costs and stress defending against this claim. Eventually, these lawsuits impact industries and drive up costs for all of us. I will expect this to happen here as drivers demand more protections from uber.

The videotaping may make this a kinda sorta valid case but Golden is a big fat jerk anyway.

 

[Xela M]

Disgusting

 

[PeterG]

This is unfortunate. Whether this lawsuit is frivolous or not, the über driver and most likely uber are going to incur legal costs and stress defending against this claim. Eventually, these lawsuits impact industries and drive up costs for all of us. I will expect this to happen here as drivers demand more protections from uber.

The videotaping may make this a kinda sorta valid case but Golden is a big fat jerk anyway.

You are too kind! If Golden gets five million for Caban videotaping him without his consent, then Caban deserves 500 million for being assaulted by Golden.

One weird thing about this story is that Golden claims he does not remember anything from that night. If that's the case, then Caban could have said that Golden had given his agreement to be videotaped. But my guess is that Caban is an honest person and wouldn't lie.

 

[skatecat]

I don't know. My bus has cameras. I think a public mode of transportation is a public space (Uber is basically a taxi), so you shouldn't need permission. It will be interesting to see how a court rules.

 

[twinsissv]

Welcome to America...land of the lawsuit!
I remember reading years ago that some European countries have a great way of discouraging these "actions". Sure you may sue as much as you want...but if you lose the case, you must pay all court costs.

 

[jenny12]

What a grade A asshole.

 

[aliceanne]

I don't think there is a problem with Uber drivers using surveillance cameras for protection, but there might be an issue with how they use the videos. If he had turned it over to police to report a crime versus posting it online to humiliate someone (deserved or not).

 

[Johnny_Fever]

I'm not defending Golden, but Caban should have sensed that his passenger was a ticking time bomb and gotten out of the car before telling him to get out.

 

[orbitz]

Benjamin Golden's twitter account: https://twitter.com/hashtag/benjamingolden

LOL. I'm assuming it's not really his?

 

[MacMadame]

One weird thing about this story is that Golden claims he does not remember anything from that night. If that's the case, then Caban could have said that Golden had given his agreement to be videotaped. But my guess is that Caban is an honest person and wouldn't lie.

In the article I read, it said that Caban has said that he did tell his passenger that he was being videotaped. Of course, his passenger was too drunk to understand that and give consent to being taped... But this isn't date rape. I think as soon as Caban realized his passenger was that drunk, he told him to get out and that would cover him as far as consent was concerned. Plus, as aliceann points out, the expectation of privacy in a taxi is not that great.

However, I do think Golden has a case when it comes to the driver posting the video on social media. That was unnecessary and punitive and it's possible he did break some sort of law by doing that.

 

[Johnny_Fever]

Another crazy Uber Passenger:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...doctor-suspended-after-attack-on-uber-driver/

 

[agalisgv]

Another crazy Uber Passenger:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...doctor-suspended-after-attack-on-uber-driver/

One thing both have in common is they are high-level professionals who demonstrated quite a bit of entitlement outside work. This 4th year resident in question was so full of herself when the cops weren't around. The utter disdain she had for everyone else was cringeworthy.

 

[Johnny_Fever]

At least with Golden you can say that alcohol clouded his judgement, but as far as I know, this woman was sober.