Hires Douglas Wigdor to represent her.
By Raif Karerat
WASHINGTON, DC: An Indian woman who was raped by an Uber taxi driver in New Delhi is gearing up to sue the company in a U.S. court of law.
The unidentified woman has enlisted Douglas Wigdor, one of New York’s most high-profile litigators, to represent her as the case unfolds.
Wigdor told the Guardian that he is examining the possibility of asking an American court to exercise jurisdiction because Uber employees’ conduct is based on company policy developed in the U.S.
Wigdor stated: ” I can confirm that I have been retained by the young lady who was raped by an Uber driver in Delhi, India, last December. Having met extensively with her and her family while in Delhi, I can only compliment them for their bravery and fortitude during this very difficult time. We will use all of our resources to vindicate my client’s rights, hold those responsible for their actions and ensure that this doesn’t happen again.”
Uber was banned in Delhi after the woman accused Shiv Kumar Yadav, 32, of attacking her. Yadav went on trial in the Indian capital Thursday and pleaded not guilty to charges of rape, kidnapping, and criminal intimidation.
His alleged victim’s decision to seek compensation on American soil is the latest body shot for Uber, which was recently valued at $40 billion.
Last week, China banned drivers of private vehicles from offering services via ride-hailing apps, while the company faces legal action for using drivers without licenses on multiple fronts including in South Korea, and in California, and Oregon. Furthermore, two of its drivers have been charged with sexually assaulting customers within the past three weeks alone.
Travis Kalanick, founder and chief executive of Uber, has committed the company to doing whatever it takes to bring the perpetrator of the assault to justice. Since being banned after the incident hit newswires around the world, Uber has introduced new background checks in Delhi and had its operations reinstated. The Silicon Valley firm also promised it would pay experts to formulate the most effective screening method for all of India.