by brettb on July 19, 2010
Over the past year Toyota has been faced with literally millions of recalls. And most of the product liability issues and personal injury problems that have led to these recalls as well as lawsuits have been associated with sudden acceleration issues, that’s not the only product defect problems that the company has had to contend with.
There have been over a dozen consumer actions against Toyota as a result of the company’s problems with its anti-lock brake system in many of its hybrids. These problems have come to light due to braking on wet roads that has been problematic for 2010 Prius and Lexus HS 250h vehicles.
But according to reports in the National Law Journal, these cases may now be consolidated. Back in February, Toyota announced a recall of about 150,000 of these vehicles due to the defect. The hearing where consolidation may be determined is set for July 29.
by brettb on July 15, 2010
After hundreds of personal injury lawsuits have been filed, dozens of injuries and deaths, numerous investigations, and official probes by NHTSA, Toyota, and Congress it seems that officials are no closer to determining whether drivers are to blame for the sudden acceleration problems of Toyota vehicles.
Toyota gas pedal issues
Among the investigations taking place, NHTSA is working with a National Academy of Sciences in their investigation. The Academy is looking into defects in vehicle electronic control, which is part of a review ordered by US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.
Prior to this investigation there were over 3,000 complaints of sudden acceleration in Toyota models. The problem has also been linked to approximately 90 deaths.
Toyota continues to deny that the acceleration problems have resulted from engine electronics. The company states that in many of the instances of sudden acceleration they have found pedal defects to be the culprit.
Critics remain skeptic of Toyota’s conclusions and the investigations are still ongoing.
by brettb on July 14, 2010
Here at San Francisco Injury Law Answers we have written numerous articles regarding the sudden acceleration problems and the personal injury actions related to those product defects experienced by Toyota. Thus, you may be familiar with those issues and the numerous product recalls that seem to have plagued Toyota this year.
NUMI plant in San Francisco Bay Area
However, you are probably not familiar with this, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, former workers at Toyota’s San Francisco Bay Area plant have filed a lawsuit against the company claiming that they were not given fair severance packages when the plant recently closed.
The workers that brought the lawsuit were out on disability leave when the plant closure took place. They are claiming that their disability leave is the reason Toyota did not give them the severances that they deserved.
As reported by the San Francisco paper, here is how the settlement worked: the average union-negotiated payout was $21,175. The plant closed April 1, 2010. In order to get a bigger payout, the worker had to have been on the job everyday for the six (6) months prior to the plant’s closing.
Well, if you were out on disability you can’t very well have been at work everyday for six (6) months prior to the plant’s closing. So, the plaintiffs are claiming that this policy discriminated against them and prevented them from getting a larger severance.
Attorneys for the injured workers claim that about 300 to 4,700 former employees were impacted by this policy. The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Oakland.
by brettb on July 9, 2010
As reported by the Christian Science Monitor and others, and in the wake of the numerous personal injury and product liability lawsuits brought against Toyota because it’s product defect issues involving sudden acceleration, Toyota has announced that it will expand its product quality field program to offices in San Francisco and cities in Texas.
Interrior of Lexus IS - recently recalled due to engine defect
The purpose of the expansion will be to allow Toyota to detect and analyze quality control problems. Ostensibly, in order to avoid the sort of product liability and product defect issues that led to the wrongful death and personal injury disasters that the company has recently faced.
The offices will be staffed by technical and engineering specialists in safety and quality control. But this announcement and alterations to Toyota’s quality control policies and procedures come alongside yet another Toyota recall.
Early in the week Toyota announced that it was recalling over 138,000 of its Lexus vehicles due to a defective valve spring. We here at San Francisco Personal Injury Law Answers reported on the recall – see Lexus sedans recalled. This is also the same company that was aware of this product defect for years but did not warn the public until recently – see Toyota Knew About Engine Design Defect.
So, whether or not Toyota is actually trying to turn a corner on safety and personal injury issues remains to be seen. Understandably, the company has its critics.
