Noriko Uno was killed nearly four years ago when her 2006 Camry suddenly accelerated to speeds of up to 100 mph on a street with a speed limit of 30 mph causing her to swerve to the median to avoid hitting an oncoming truck and crash into a telephone pole and a tree, the Associated Press reports.
Plaintiffs allege that Toyota should be liable for the unexpected acceleration – a familiar claim that has led to several lawsuits, settlements, and recalls of millions of its cars and SUVs. Toyota has blamed such crashes on accelerators that got stuck, floor mats that trapped the gas pedal and driver error.
Uno was a cautious driver and neither the floor mats, nor driver error were to blame for the accident, Attorney Garo Mardirossian, who is representing Uno’s husband and son, told the AP.
Jury selection started on July 22 in the trial in Los Angeles, CA based on the accident that occurred in Aug. 2009. As the first of the “bellwether” cases to go to trial in the state courts, this case might help predict the outcome of similar cases over alleged sudden acceleration of the automaker’s vehicles.
A main issue in the Uno trial will likely be why Toyota lacked a brake-override system that prevented acceleration if the brake and gas pedals were pressed at the same time, according to the AP. The automaker has settled some wrongful death cases and agreed to pay more than $1 billion to resolve lawsuits where owners said their vehicle’s lost value after recalls and sudden-acceleration concerns.
The Uno trial is expected to last two months, according to the AP.
Our product liability attorneys at Swope, Rodante P.A. are not involved in this case, but we work hard to get justice for our clients who have suffered undue harm or a loved one’s death due to unsafe products. If you have been injured due to a manufacturer’s failure to provide a safe product, please contact us.
