Uber Is Being Sued After A Driver Allegedly Put A Blind Person's Service Dog In The Trunk Of A Car

Flickr/Creative CommonsThe National Federation of the Blind is suing taxi service Uber, saying that some of its drivers discriminate against blind people and service dogs, according to the Washington Post.

The lawsuit, which was filed in Northern California District Court on Tuesday, alleged that a California UberX driver put a blind customer's service dog in the trunk and refused to pull over when the passenger realised where the dog was.

The lawsuit alleged that Uber had refused blind travelers and guide animals on at least 30 occasions. One blind woman was allegedly denied a ride from UberX drivers on 12 separate occasions.

Blind customers were also alleged to be left in bad weather conditions and charged cancellation fees.

The lawsuit also cited another example involving a blind passenger who tried to explain to an UberX driver that his dog was not simply a pet, but a service animal. However, when he attempted to do this, the driver allegedly shouted him down and accelerated suddenly - nearly injuring the blind person's friend, who was also blind, and his dog.

The lawsuit urges Uber to implement policies that don't discriminate against the blind. Uber did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.