Toyota's appeal to dismiss lawsuit not granted by Federal Court

Published On Dec 14, 2010 12:02 PM By Vidyadhar for Toyota Etios

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Federal Court denied Toyota Motor Corp. to banish the lawsuit which claims injuries or even deaths by sudden acceleration. The federal judge of US District Court, James V. Selna in Santa Ana, California, allowed the case to carry on as the victims' (injured buyers and relatives of those killed in the accidents) lawyers gave substantial proof to allow the case to carry on. The judge, Selna, dismissed the Japanese auto giant's proposition to discharge the case on class-action or group, lawsuits which are claiming monetary loss due to sudden acceleration.

Toyota Motors has been legally charged of not revealing or sending a warning against the manufacturing defect in their cars. The defect in the manufacturing is that it can result in sudden acceleration. Against the motion, Toyota in its defense filed that the complainant has not come up with definitive allegations of the substantial defect and Toyota Motors did not hide anything.

Selna, in his report wrote that the auto manufacturer's demand for specificity, is not necessary at a pleading level. The flaw was in the complainant cars wherein the car abruptly and suddenly accelerates and will not stop till the brakes are applied appropriately. The judge dismissed Toyota's appeal to discharge the complainants suit of fraud concealment. He added that, the plaintiffs petition is sufficient against the Toyota Motors under the federal rule of law.

Selna, granted the Japanese auto maker's plea to discharge some parts of the lawsuit and granted the lawyers a time of 45 days to file the claims again, as per the ruling.

Toyota called back almost 8 million or more cars to repair the defected of sudden unintentional acceleration. The Japanese car manufacturer called back 3.8 million Toyota and Lexus cars in September, 2009 due to the drawback, that can cause the car's floor mats to obstruct the accelerator pedals. Later, Toyota Motors called back the cars due to the flaw in the pedal itself.