Trial finally set for Toyota crash lawsuit; Lawsuit claims defective components can cause unintended acceleration.
Toyota Motor Corp is facing hundreds of lawsuits over acceleration problems and the first of these cases have finally been set to go to trial. A crash that killed two people in Utah will be the first lawsuit to be tried in court.
A U.S. District Judge said the case of 38-year-old Charlene Jones Lloyd and 66-year-old Paul Van Alfen, whose Toyota Camry crashed into a wall in Utah in 2010, is scheduled for trial in February 2013.
The case, Van Alfen v. Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., will be the first of several bellwether lawsuits. Bellwether lawsuits are used to determine how the rest of the litigation will proceed.
Toyota has argued that the claims about the Toyota vehicle defect are unproven. The lawsuits claim that the electronic throttle control system is responsible for vehicles surging unexpectedly. Toyota has claimed that driver error, faulty floor mats and sticky accelerator pedals could be the cause.
In the above case, Van Alfen was driving the Camry on Nov. 5, 2010, when it suddenly accelerated, according to reports. Tire marks showed that Van Alfen tried to stop the vehicle as it exited the Utah interstate, police said. The car went through a stop sign at the bottom and through an intersection before hitting a wall. Van Alfen and Lloyd, his son's fiancee, were killed. Van Alfen's wife and son were injured.
If you or a loved one has suffered due to taking defective or recalled products, the product recall attorneys at Kennedy Hodges may be able to help. We are located in Houston, Texas, but our firm maintains a national practice. Our board certified product recall attorneys can give you a free online evaluation of your potential claim.
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