Toyota Issues Second Major Recall in a Year
For the second time in the past year, Toyota is issuing a major recall due to problems with accelerator pedals. The first recall affected four million vehicles and was due to an issue that caused the accelerator pedals to become stuck under the floor mats, causing sudden acceleration of the vehicle. The latest recall affects over two million Toyota-made vehicles and is also due to an issue with the accelerator becoming stuck, even in models that do not have floor mats. Toyota believes the problem is related to the potential build-up of sliding surfaces in the accelerator system that help the driver push down or release the accelerator pedal. This recall affects eight particular Toyota models. Both of the aforementioned recalls by Toyota have been among the largest in United States’ history.
Accidents caused by the negligence of the automobile manufacturer typically fall into the realm of product liability suits. These suits basically seek to impose liability on the manufacturer of the vehicle for negligently designing or manufacturing a product or part of a product which was responsible for causing injury to one or more victims.
Thus, a product liability suit relating to an auto accident is different than the typical auto accident personal injury case (where the driver is usually the defendant and the victim is the plaintiff) in that both the driver and the other parties involved in the accident are victims of the manufacturer’s negligence and will seek to recover from the manufacturer for any injuries caused by the negligent automobile. Needless to say, the injuries in these automobile-related cases can be substantial, as demonstrated by the situation discussed in our previous blog pertaining to the first Toyota recall in which a Lexus SUV accelerated out of control, killing four people. These types of accidents typically provide the victims with multiple avenues for recovery against the manufacturer including several different types of product liability theories as well as negligence-based theories such as wrongful death.
