Toyota Litigation Continues

The design problems may no longer be in the news, but Toyota is far from finished with the massive litigation it faces as a result of design defects in a number of its models. But, if the car manufacturer gets its way, that litigation could speed up real soon.

That’s because a federal appeals court granted Toyota’s request to immediate review a lower court ruling that allowed millions of consumers to sue the company for damages, even though they may not have experienced a defect or sell for reduced prices after the company’s recall of more than 8 million vehicles.

At issue in the appeal is whether consumers who purchased or leased Toyota vehicles could sue for economic damages absent any appearance of a sudden, unintended acceleration defect or any related monetary loss. Plaintiffs have argued that the recalls, which focused on accelerator pedals and floor mats, did not address all the defects that caused the accelerations, like defects in the electronic throttle control system or the lack of a brake override. Toyota argues that only those consumers who were covered by the scope of the recall should be part of the multi-district litigation pending in federal court in California.

An earlier court ruling allowed these more expansive claims to move forward based on the injuries alleged, particularly that plaintiffs relied on advertising promoting the safety of Toyota’s vehicles when they purchased their cars. about 200 cases have been coordinated as a single consolidated complaint in the multi-district litigation and another 100 lawsuits have been filed over injuries and deaths attributed to accidents allegedly caused by sudden acceleration.

So far the litigation process has shown that Toyota was more concerned with threats to its bottom line than the safety of its consumers and it was not until public scrutiny did the manufacturer act. If you or a loved one owned a Toyota that was involved in an accident and you suspect sudden acceleration, contact the attorneys at Lord & Faris as you may have a claim.

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