Brayton Purcell LLP

Call For A Free Consultation
800-598-0314

Call For A Free Consultation 800-598-0314

Brayton Purcell LLP
  • Home
  • Firm Overview
    • Our Beliefs
      • Giving Back
      • Our Associations And Memberships
      • The Right To Trial By Jury
    • Regions Served
    • Careers
    • Our Employees Pets
    • Press Releases
  • Attorneys
  • Practice Areas
    • Mesothelioma/Asbestos
    • Personal Injury/Wrongful Death
    • Toxic Substances
    • Estate Planning
    • Other Areas Of Practice
  • Court Successes
    • Trial Verdicts
    • Appeals
  • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Videos
  • Contact
  • Home
  • Firm Overview
    • Our Beliefs
      • Giving Back
      • Our Associations And Memberships
      • The Right To Trial By Jury
    • Regions Served
    • Careers
    • Our Employees Pets
    • Press Releases
  • Attorneys
  • Practice Areas
    • Mesothelioma/Asbestos
    • Personal Injury/Wrongful Death
    • Toxic Substances
    • Estate Planning
    • Other Areas Of Practice
  • Court Successes
    • Trial Verdicts
    • Appeals
  • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Videos
  • Contact

Partner Post: Toyota Settles 2007 Lawsuit

by Brayton Purcell LLP | Dec 6, 2013 | Consumer Safety

Toyota Reaches Settlement After Unintended Acceleration Crash

Written by James P. Nevin 

Toyota recently reached a settlement with the victims of a deadly 2007 car crash, after a $3-million jury verdict.

The crash involved a 2005 Camry driven by Jean Bookout, 82, which suddenly accelerated through an intersection and hit an embankment. The driver was injured, and her passenger, Barbara Schwarz, 70, died. The settlement was reached the day after the jury awarded $1.5 million in compensatory damages to the injured driver, and $1.5 million to the family of the passenger who was killed in the accident.

view of the road from the inside of a vehicle

The Oklahoma jury became the first to find Toyota responsible for the unintended acceleration of one of its vehicles. The jury found that Toyota had acted with “reckless disregard,” after failing to take action despite reports of problems with its cars. Deliberations on punitive damages were about to begin when the settlement was announced.

Toyota has recalled more than 11 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles since 2009 because of various issues, including floor mats that caused the accelerator to become stuck. The 2005 Camry in the Oklahoma trial was not included in any of these recalls.

Last year, Toyota agreed to pay $1.6 billion to settle a class action lawsuit. The settlement will compensate vehicle owners who suffered financial losses for the devaluation of their vehicles due to reports of sudden acceleration problems. It covered only economic losses and not liability in wrongful death or personal injury cases.

Toyota has previously won three jury verdicts, but none alleged that their vehicle had a software glitch. At trial, the plaintiffs’ attorney presented expert testimony by Michael Barr, a software expert, who analyzed the Toyota source code in the Camry’s throttle system. He stated that multiple problems with the software controlling Toyota’s throttle system could have caused the Camry involved in the 2007 crash to accelerate out of control.

On November 5, Toyota will face its first case in federal court. The automaker still faces more than 700 unintended acceleration cases, according to financial filings.


Sources: 1, 2, & 3

Public Domain Image: 1

James Nevin on Google+

Recent Posts

  • U.S. asbestos imports jump in 2020
  • The dangers of homes built with asbestos
  • Four jobs at risk of asbestos exposure
  • 5 Common Products You Might be Shocked to Learn Contain Asbestos
  • You never know where you will find asbestos on your property

Archives

Categories

RSS Feed

Subscribe To This Blog’s Feed

Free Consultation

Take The First Step In Resolving Your Issue. Send Us An Email.

Email Us For A Response

San Francisco
Bay Area Office

222 Rush Landing Road Novato, CA 94945

Novato Office
222 Rush Landing Road
Novato, CA 94945
Toll Free: 800-598-0314
Phone: 415-898-1555
Fax: 415-898-1247

Map & Directions

Southern California
Office

12 28th Street Venice, California 90291

Los Angeles Office
12 28th Street
Venice, California 90291
Toll Free: 800-598-0314
Phone: 415-898-1555
Fax: 415-898-1247

Map & Directions
  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow

© 2021 Brayton Purcell LLP. All Rights Reserved.

Disclaimer | Site Map | Privacy Policy | Business Development Solutions by FindLaw, part of Thomson Reuters

Review Us