How Many Wrongful Deaths Caused By Recent Defects Could Have Been Prevented By Toyota?
Toyota has initiated a recall of the more than 8.5 million affected vehicles with potentially faulty accelerators. The vehicles may be prone to sudden uncontrolled acceleration, which is alleged to have caused a number of crashes and 34 deaths. Congressional hearings are pending on a probe initiated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration into whether Toyota acted in a timely manner to initiate the recalls.
Toyota is facing a few different types of potential lawsuits such as class action, claims to recover "lost value", shareholder suits and traditional product liability claims initiated on behalf of people killed or severely injured in crashes allegedly caused by the accelerators. As an injury lawyer in Chicago, I pay closest attention to these individual product liability cases. As a matter of fact, this Toyota recall highlights a primary reason why I chose this profession. I get great satisfaction from representing individual families and giving them a voice against the large and powerful corporations and insurance companies. And, it angers me to know that neither Toyota nor federal regulators did anything significant to prevent the problem until enough people started dying. The LA Times reported that, based on its review of federal records pursuant to a Freedom of Information Request, there were 2,600 Toyota and Lexus car owner complaints of sudden acceleration from 2000 to 2010. Furthermore, CBS reported that Toyota was aware that its sudden acceleration defects were related to computer software, not to floor mats, as far back as 2005.
From Toyota's perspective, the 34 deaths thus far attributed to crashes caused by the acceleration problem represent a more than manageable legal risk for a company of Toyota's size. I know this is big business reality, but it still bothers me, especially knowing what they knew and when they knew it.
From my perspective, any of those deaths that could have been prevented should have been prevented.
You can bet Toyota will zealously defend these cases. Toyota is better situated to withstand the costs associated with a lawsuit compared to an unrepresented family of a victim.
If you know someone who has been severely injured in an accident involving a Toyota or Lexus, please do not hesitate to call the Chicago office of Strellis & Field, and we will walk you through your legal options (312) 201-0000.
Click here for a list of vehicles affected by the accelerator or floor mat issues (L.A. Times).
