Uber Technologies has hired the law firm O’Melveny & Myers to conduct internal fact-finding and handle any litigation in the San Francisco-based company’s defense in a civil suit brought by a woman who was raped by an Uber driver in India, a person familiar said.
Eric Alexander, Uber’s former president of business in Asia, obtained a copy of the woman’s medical report and carried it around with him, people told Bloomberg. Travis Kalanick — who resigned Tuesday night as chief executive officer but remains on the company’s board — floated a conspiracy theory that the woman hadn’t been raped and that Uber had been framed by its Indian competitor Ola, people told Bloomberg.
Kalanick, Alexander and another former executive, Emil Michael, are named in the suit.
The rape victim, a Texas resident who remains anonymous, is suing Uber in federal court for mishandling her medical records. She previously received at least $3 million from Uber in a separate settlement, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg.
Uber previously said in a statement, “No one should have to go through a horrific experience like this, and we’re truly sorry that she’s had to relive it over the last few weeks.”
The ride-hailing company declined to comment on the hiring of O’Melveny & Myers. Reuters earlier reported the hiring.
