los angeles auto product liability attorney

The Orange County Register reports that two complaints have been filed in federal court in Santa Ana, California against Toyota, alleging that the automaker overlooked serious defects that caused sudden, uncontrolled acceleration of its vehicles. Plaintiffs’ attorneys involved in the lawsuits allege that Toyota was aware since 2004 of the fact that its automobiles with electronic throttle control systems had a significantly higher rate of complaints for sudden acceleration than its vehicles with mechanical controls. Moreover, the suits claim that Toyota neglected to install a brake override system that would allow drivers to stop safely if such unexpected acceleration took place.

One of the lawsuits seeks class-action status for millions of Toyota owners for economic loss resulting from potential drops in their vehicles’ values due to the recalls. The other is a personal injury lawsuit filed on behalf of a woman who claims that she was injured due to the sudden acceleration of her Prius in April. About 300 lawsuits claiming economic loss are part of the consolidated federal case pending in Santa Ana. A few dozen other cases against Toyota pending before the court are for personal injury or wrongful death claims relating to accidents involving Toyota vehicles. Additional lawsuits making similar claims have been filed against Toyota in state courts throughout the country.

The complaints also claim that government regulators failed to fully investigate driver complaints regarding Toyota sudden acceleration and that Toyota executives tried to limit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s probes into potential problems with vehicles’ electronic throttle controls. Instead of addressing the likelihood that a defective electronic throttle control system may have been causing incidents of sudden acceleration, Toyota claimed that floor mats and sticky accelerator pedals were to blame. One memo even suggests that Toyota was aware as early as 2007 that other auto makers were utilizing safety features to prevent sudden acceleration, yet it did not implement similar tactics.

The California auto product liability lawyers at Panish Shea & Boyle LLP are currently involved in litigation against Toyota, and one of the firm’s attorneys serves on the Plaintiffs’ Liaison Counsel Committee for Personal Injury/Wrongful Death cases pending in federal court. Our attorneys are committed to obtaining full and just compensation for those who have been injured in accidents caused by defective Toyota vehicles and other faulty automobiles. To learn more about how we can help with your case, please call 877-800-1700.

From June 8-10, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) conducted its 2010 Roadcheck, inspecting approximately 65,327 trucks and buses at 2,482 locations throughout North America. According to the CVSA, over 9,856 certified inspectors participated in the 72-hour Roadcheck examination of commercial vehicle brakes, tires, lights, and every other major truck or bus component. Drivers’ commercial driver’s licenses, medical examiner’s certificates, and records of duty status were also examined.

Although this commercial vehicle safety campaign has occurred every year since 1988, roadside inspections take place every day throughout the United States to help prevent serious injury or fatal auto accidents. In 2009, over 3.8 million inspections were conducted to help enforce truck and bus safety standards and regulations.

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Administrator, Anne S. Ferro, stated, “Roadcheck has once again successfully reinforced the critical importance of safety, compliance, and crash prevention – lives depend on both safe and well maintained trucks and safe and well trained drivers.”

With Brake Safety Week scheduled for September 12-18, the CVSA hopes that more commercial drivers, governments, industry associations, owner-operators, and motor carriers will take part in actively maintaining and inspecting brakes for potential defects. In the 2010 Roadcheck, brake-related defects accounted for half of all out-of-service violations, which was consistent with the results from prior years.

While manufacturing defects and maintenance issues pose serious risks for occupants of any vehicle, defective or faulty vehicle components in large commercial trucks and buses are especially dangerous. Cases involving auto product liability or commercial vehicles are often highly complex and require significant experience to litigate. At Panish Shea & Boyle LLP, our aggressive and skilled California auto product liability lawyers and commercial vehicle accident attorneys have obtained numerous successful jury verdicts and settlements for injury victims and family members of wrongful death victims. As a nationally recognized Plaintiffs’ law firm, we have the necessary legal resources to develop a strong and effective case on your behalf. Contact our firm today for a free consultation by calling 877-800-1700.