Product liability claims may still be viable despite Toyota's fix for dangerous acceleration problem
On Monday, Toyota announced that it had engineered a solution to nearly 4.2 million recalled vehicles that were designed with gas pedals that could potentially stick. While the solution restored some consumer confidence, it comes too late for the drivers that were involved in accidents due to the sticking pedals.
The Atlanta Journal Constitution has the story.
The problem involved excessive friction between two accelerator mechanisms. When the friction reached a certain level, the gas pedal became stuck causing the vehicle to move forward. Toyota's fix is a steel shim that is installed behind the gas pedal.
Consumers who believe that they have been injured due to a sticking gas pedal on their Toyota need to know that they may have certain legal rights. When a consumer is injured due to a defective product, the consumer may bring suit against the manufacturer to recover medical bills as well as pain and suffering. If a death occurs, a claim for wrongful death may be appropriate. In many of these cases, an injured consumer can receive a hefty monetary award. Moreover, product liability suits often force the manufacturer to design a safer product which can cut down on the number of future injuries.
