Toyota Settles Wrongful Death Case, More Are Pending

Toyota has been facing a number of injury and wrongful death lawsuits after drivers began experiencing unexpected acceleration in Toyota vehicles. Toyota has settled the first wrongful death case in January of 2012, but hundreds more are still pending. A wrongful death suit was brought against Toyota when two were killed in a Utah accident in 2010 when the Camry they were driving crashed into a wall. The case was settled before going to trial, which had been scheduled for February of 2013, but the terms of the agreement have not been disclosed. Toyota had settled a previous wrongful death suit in 2010 for $10 million.

In that 2010 case, a floor mat that was the wrong size got caught on the accelerator and caused the Lexus to accelerate to over 120 miles per hour before hitting another vehicle, rolling several times and striking an embankment. The crash killed the California Highway Patrol officer driver and his three family members who were passengers in the vehicle. After the cause of the crash was discovered, more defects in other models were discovered, and many recalls took place. Approximately 14 million vehicles were recalled due to the acceleration issues, brake defects, and more problems with the wrong size floor mats.

If you have experienced an injury or a family member or loved one has died and negligence of another party is suspected, contact a personal injury attorney who can assist you in finding the best way to pursue your case. Seeking justice following a wrongful death is necessary in order to cope with the financial and emotional strains that follow. It is also extremely important to call attention to and hold companies responsible for their actions in order to prevent more deaths and injuries.

An experienced personal injury attorney will be able to assess your case and determine what a successful settlement would be, and will work to make sure that a fair settlement is reached. The amount that you should seek in a settlement will be determined by many factors such as the severity and type of injury, the amount of work you miss, the medical treatment you need, and the emotional trauma that you and your family experience. If the suit involves a wrongful death, family members can seek compensation for pain and suffering, economic impact, and in some cases punitive damage.

The St. Louis product liability attorneys of Zevan and Davidson Law Firm represent victims in St. Louis, Missouri and Illinois who have been hurt by dangerous or defective products.