According to the New York Times, Toyota has decided to enter into a global settlement over sudden acceleration death and injury cases. The announcement comes two months after a Toyota Camry’s electronic throttle system was found to be defective by an Oklahoma jury.
The jury found that Toyota had acted with “reckless disregard,” despite reports of problems in the cars, and was liable for a crash in 2005 that killed one woman and injured another.Toyota Motor Corporation and lawyers pursuing claims alleging the company’s vehicles suddenly accelerated, causing deaths or injuries, will begin an “intensive settlement process” to resolve the lawsuits.
U.S. District Judge James V. Selna in Santa Ana, California, on Friday December 13, issued an order halting the suits after Toyota and the lawyers asked for time to try settling the cases. Selna was scheduled to hear the first trial in March of about 200 federal claims consolidated before him.