An August 2009 crash involving a defective Lexus ES 350 manufactured by Toyota Motors left 4 dead and their families seeking compensation for their losses. Reports from the International Business Times cover the settlement of the case which resulted in $10 million in damages being awarded to the surviving family of the 4 victims. The accident occurred in San Diego when California highway patrol officer Mark Saylor was traveling in the Lexus with his wife, daughter, and brother-in-law. Investigation of the fatal crash found that the floor mat was not properly sized, causing it to become trapped under the accelerator.
This incident received widespread media attention and prompted further investigation of Toyota-manufactured vehicles, including the Lexus brand, and resulted in more than 6.5 million vehicles being recalled for safety issues. Immediately following the fatal incident, more than 3.8 million Toyota and Lexus models were recalled for the floor mat defect. Later recalls for the same unintended acceleration issue were the result of defects in the actual gas pedals.
This particular lawsuit settled privately out of court, although the settlement was made public against the wishes of the families and the Toyota Company. Toyota has been the focus of numerous lawsuits in recent years due to several recalls involving defective vehicle models. The main complaints have been against the unintended vehicle acceleration defects, which have caused numerous fatal and serious injury crashes. If you or a loved one has suffered serious injury due to a defective product you may be entitled to file a defective product lawsuit against the manufacturer or distributor.
Contacting a New York Product Liability Attorney
At Gacovino Lake & Associates we have formed a dedicated network of personal injury lawyers to serve clients nationwide for their injury claims. Our New York office serves residents of the 5 boroughs with their auto accident, medical malpractice, defective product, premises liability, and Workers’ Compensation claims. For experienced help when filing your personal injury claim, contact us today – 1-800-246-4878.
