Toyota Facing Lawsuits Over Sticky Gas Pedals

Toyota Motor Corp. has recalled about eight million cars and trucks worldwide due to problems with the accelerators malfunctioning and forcing vehicles to speed off out of control, causing motorist injuries and deaths. Now, lawsuits against the car maker on behalf of injured parties are gaining speed.

Popular Toyota vehicles such as the Corolla, Camry, Avalon, and Tundra are involved in the massive safety recall, which also prompted the company to temporarily stop making and selling affected models until the defective pedals can be repaired or replaced.

In the meantime, a growing number of lawsuits are being filed by consumers who claim their Toyota and Lexus vehicles suddenly accelerated or otherwise malfunctioned, according to a Reuters news report, which quoted some legal experts as saying the legal problems stemming from the gas pedal defect could cost Toyota billions of dollars.

In the past three months, there have been at least 10 lawsuits filed seeking class-action status against Toyota in the U.S. and Canada, officials said. As more lawsuits trickle in, the cases may be consolidated into a multidistrict litigation panel for pre-trial proceedings, legal experts said.

The lawsuits accuse Toyota and others of negligence for designing, making, and marketing defectively dangerous gas pedals in millions of cars and trucks. The suits also allege Toyota violated its duty to warn consumers about the defect.

The cases seek compensatory damages for medical bills and other out-of-pocket expenses associated with the defective car parts and also punitive damages to punish Toyota for its actions in handling the situation. Even more plaintiffs may seek financial recovery for an expected loss of resale value tied to the stigma from the recalls, although some experts have questioned the legal viability of those legal claims.

New Federal Lawsuits Filed

In a federal lawsuit filed in Corpus Christi, Texas, plaintiffs Albert and Sylvia Pena alleged that their 2008 Toyota Avalon unexpectedly accelerated at least twice, and on January 14 caused a collision at a stop sign.

“Toyota has long known about the defect with their throttle control, and has done too little, too late to correct it,” said Robert Hilliard, a lawyer representing the Penas, according to Reuters.

Three other federal lawsuits were filed in New Orleans on behalf of Avalon and Camry owners. These plaintiffs’ lawyers were unavailable to comment, Reuters reports.

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