More Legal Woes For Toyota

The well-publicized runaway Prius in San Diego on Monday afternoon was more bad news for Toyota. As we discussed in a prior posting, if you drive a Toyota vehicle, please go to either Toyota’s website or the website of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to see if your particular model is the subject of a recall and if it is, what you need to do to protect yourself and your family.

Apart from the wrongful death and personal injury lawsuits that may arise, Toyota must also deal with the potential of a separate, huge legal liability. According to AP, “Toyota owners claiming that massive safety recalls are causing the value of their vehicles to plummet have filed at least 89 class-action lawsuits that could cost the Japanese auto giant $3 billion or more.”

In general, a class-action is a legal process in which a large group of people file their claim collectively in one (or more) cases. Often, class-action complaints are consolidated in a single court jurisdiction for judicial efficiency, and a panel of federal judges is considering such a move for the Toyota cases. AP explains that “After that, a judge will decide whether all claims filed by Toyota owners nationwide can be combined in a single legal action — known as ‘certifying a class’ — and whether the claims have enough merit to move toward either trial or settlement.”

Again, those cases involve disgruntled owners suing for economic damages based on the theory of lost value. The personal injury aspect is a separate matter. If you have been in a collision with your Toyota, and were injured, and the car rapidly accelerated or the braking system failed, give Young and Young in Indianapolis a call. Our firm can help you and your family work through all the issues you are now facing.