Consumer Justice Law Firm secures a huge payout for client after SambaSafety's negligent and willful reporting violations left her without a job
-- Tamia Cornelius, represented by Consumer Justice Law Firm, was handed a $680,000 verdict by a federal jury in a lawsuit against Safety Holdings, Inc. (d/b/a SambaSafety) filed in the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico.
The lawsuit alleged that SambaSafety, in the business of selling consumer reports for use in employment decisions, caused significant harm to Cornelius, an Alaska-based Uber driver, by (1) falsely reporting to Uber that her driver’s license had been withdrawn, causing Uber to deactivate her account, and (2) failing to properly reinvestigate and correct its reporting, despite Cornelius disputing the error twice.
Cornelius' legal team successfully argued that SambaSafety's actions negligently and willfully violated the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) by demonstrating a failure to “follow reasonable procedures to assure maximum possible accuracy” in the creation of background reports SambaSafety prepared and sold to Uber, and by failing to reasonably reinvestigate Cornelius’ disputes. SambaSafety’s FCRA violations resulted in direct harm to Cornelius, which was compounded by her previously established success as an Uber driver, her dependence on the job’s flexibility, and Uber’s deactivation of her account during Alaska’s prime tourist season.
"This is a major win, not only for people working in the gig economy, but for everyone," said James Ristvedt, Managing Attorney and Trial Counsel at Consumer Justice Law Firm. “Consumer reporting agencies like SambaSafety have an enormous impact on our lives, playing a major role in whether we can buy a home, finance a car, qualify for insurance, or get a job.”
The jury awarded Cornelius compensation for loss of employment and economic opportunities, loss of wages and benefits, loss of time and money spent challenging the errors, reputational damage, adverse impacts on her life (including emotional and psychological stressors and harms), and punitive damages.
Cornelius is represented by Managing Partner David Chami and Managing Attorneys James Ristvedt and Tarek Chami of the Consumer Justice Law Firm, a consumer protection and employment law firm headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, with local offices throughout the U.S. and coverage nationwide.
Case name and civil action number:
Tamia Cornelius vs Safety Holdings, Inc., d/b/a SambaSafety, Civil Action No. 1:24-cv- 00811 (D.N.M. 2026)
About Consumer Justice Law Firm
Founded by attorneys David Chami and Daniel Cohen, Consumer Justice Law Firm is a nationwide consumer protection and employment law firm, committed to fighting for fair treatment and accountability. The firm boasts a roster of experienced and talented legal professionals on a mission to shift the power dynamic from big corporate carelessness to individual consumer justice.
For more information, visit the website here: https://consumerjustice.com/.
Contact Info:
Name: David Chami
Email: Send Email
Organization: Consumer Justice Law Firm
Address: 8095 North 85th Way Scottsdale, AZ 85258
Phone: (480) 626-2359
Website: https://consumerjustice.com/
Release ID: 89184481
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