Toyota has been ordered to pay $11 million to the victims of a fatal car accident that was allegedly caused by design defects in a Toyota Camry that caused it to accelerate out of control. A Minnesota jury returned the wrongful death verdict in the U.S. District Court in Minneapolis on February 3, 2015. The case arose out of an accident in 2006 that caused the death of three people.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident involving a Toyota vehicle, contact Attorney Group for information about your options. We can review your case at no out-of-pocket cost to you and connect you with an affiliated attorney if you are eligible to seek compensation for your injuries.
Toyota Recalls Vehicles Due to
Reported Acceleration Issues
In 2009 and 2010, Toyota recalled approximately 10 million Lexus and Toyota models due to reported braking problems. The Camry at issue in the Minnesota lawsuit was part of the recall, and involved the driver, members of his family, two people who were seriously injured in the accident, and the family of a six-year-old girl who was killed in the accident. According to the driver, his 1996 Toyota Camry did not stop and instead accelerated out of control. While the automaker initially claimed the driver hit the gas instead of the brake, the jury found Toyota was 60 percent responsible for the accident and awarded $11 million in compensation.
Due to alleged braking problems, Toyota has reportedly paid at least $1.4 billion in settlements to resolve claims and class action lawsuits filed on behalf of owners of various Lexus and Toyota vehicles who claim the value of their cars have dropped since the recalls. Toyota continues to face several wrongful death and personal injury lawsuits over the reported design defect.
A number of the lawsuits involving the Toyota recalls filed in the federal court system were recently consolidated in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California in Santa Ana. Attorneys anticipate additional plaintiffs will come forward over the next several months.
In addition to the recent Toyota car accident verdict and the increasing number of lawsuits involving the automaker, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration fined Toyota $66.2 million for neglecting to address the reported problems in a prompt manner. Toyota has also reportedly paid investors $25.5 million to settle accusations that it had attempted to conceal the problem, resulting in a false and wrongfully inflated stock value.
Contact Attorney Group for More Information
If you have questions about the recent Toyota car accident verdict or an accident in which you were involved, contact Attorney Group. We offer a free, comprehensive case evaluation at no out-of-pocket cost to you, and we can connect you with an affiliated attorney. Call today to learn more.
