In March of 2014, Toyota agreed to pay $1.2 billion because its cars were found to accelerate even in cases where drivers didn’t intend the acceleration to occur. The F.B.I. found that the manufacturer made cars with parts that it knew were deadly.
ABC News released statements from F.B.I. director, George Venizelos, who stated that, “Toyota put sales over safety and profit over principle.”
ABC News first broke the story in 2009, when the news source told the horrifying tale of a highway patrolman who was stuck behind the wheel as his vehicle accelerated to 100 miles per hour, without his ability to control or stop the acceleration. The patrolman was able to call the police and recount his ordeal until the vehicle crashed, killing him. Toyota claimed that the acceleration problem was due to the gas petal getting stuck in a floor mat or due to driver error. Toyota later admitted that some of its accelerators could become “sticky.” One man even faced a vehicular homicide sentence of eight years, until evidence emerged that his gas pedal had become stuck. He was released, but had already served a two year sentence.
Senior Justice officials accused Toyota of upholding a corporate culture in which blatant misrepresentations and cover-ups resulted in deaths and tragedies.
Now, Toyota is back in court again, denying more allegations of sticky gas pedals. The man who was released from jail for vehicular homicide, as well as the family devastated by the accident, is taking Toyota to court for negligence.
According to the Star Tribune, a Toyota engineer presented evidence in court that the St. Paul man pressed the accelerator, not the brake, causing his car, a Toyota Camry, to collide with an Oldsmobile Ciera, which resulted in three tragic deaths.
The driver explains that his car suddenly accelerated, and despite his attempts to press down on the brakes, he could not stop his car from hitting the Ciera, and killing three people.
Attorneys for the driver were able to submit evidence that the Camry’s brake lights were turned on when the accident occurred, supporting the driver’s claim that the car accelerated despite his attempts to stop the vehicle.
Despite this evidence, a Toyota engineer reconstructed the crash using a similar vehicle, showing how the accident could have occurred due to driver error. The engineer claims that the brake light can go on even if the brakes aren’t pressed in cases where the impact forces are great enough.
The Toyota Camry was not part of Toyota’s recall, but given the company’s history of obfuscation, the engineers will have to provide substantial evidence to show that the Camry wasn’t also defective.
One in five cars is recalled every year—that’s 52 million cars. If you’ve been in an accident or have been injured due to defective products or due to a car accident, a personal injury lawyer in Minneapolis, Minnesota can help you. The Law Office of Martin T. Montilino understands the challenges families face following car accidents and injuries. We can help you seek compensation and reimbursement for lost wages, medical fees, and property damage.