The on-line edition of the Times-Standard posted the following article on September 11, 2009, concerning four wrongful death cases filed against Toyota for steering problems on 2004 pickups and SUVs:
“A Los Angeles Superior Court judge ordered four wrongful death lawsuits–including one from Humboldt County–involving Toyota vehicles consolidated.
Plaintiffs allege that Toyota failed to properly recall the steering relay rods in the Toyota pickups and SUVs. To date, four lawsuits have arisen out of accidents where plaintiffs allege the steering relay rod snapped causing the fatalities.
In addition to the one in Humboldt, which caused the death of an infant from Hoopa, accidents occurred in Idaho, Kentucky and Georgia. All four of the lawsuits are related to a safety recall Toyota issued in Japan but not the United States in 2004.”
If the allegations of these plaintiffs are proved, Toyota will be right there with the worst examples of car manufacturers placing dollars over human life. This has occurred all too often in past years and apparently continues to occur despite civil juries responding with punitive damages.
Lloyd W. Gathings
