Toyota Settles Lawsuits Over Sudden Unintended Acceleration

Toyota Motor Corporation, who has an office in Chandler, has recently reached a $1 billion settlement with some of its customers who had filed a class-action lawsuit against the company for the company’s alleged product defects. For background, beginning in 2009, reports of Toyota vehicles suddenly accelerating without the driver initiating contact with the accelerator led to mass recalls of many Toyota vehicles, as well as numerous lawsuits for accidents that may have been caused by the defect. Ironically, however, the lawsuit which was recently settled by Toyota did not involve injuries caused to vehicle drivers or passengers, but was rather done to settle claims of lost value on the part of some Toyota owners.

Many of the personal injury lawsuits filed by Toyota owners who were involved in accidents as a result of the vehicle’s defects continue to be litigated by car accident attorneys across the country, and resolution of these cases is likely still far on the horizon. However, this piece of news is as good a reminder as any of the many different ways that individuals can benefit from using public transportation, such as the Phoenix light rail, which is significantly safer than most other forms of transportation.