Toyota Camry Sudden Acceleration Lawsuit Settled; Company to Pay $3 Million
Car company Toyota lost a sudden acceleration lawsuit in Oklahoma City yesterday and today they have released a statement and settled to avoid paying punitive damages.
The jury in the case ordered Toyota to pay a total of $3 million to two families who were involved in a car accident due to a fault in the Camry sedan that caused random acceleration, according to The LA Times. Jean Bookout, who was driving the Camry, will get $1.5 million from Toyota, and so will the family of Barbara Schwarz. Bookout was injured in the crash and Schwarz was killed.
Carly Schaffner, a Toyota spokeswoman, released a statement about the verdict.
"While we strongly disagree with the verdict, we are satisfied that the parties reached a mutually acceptable agreement to settle this case. We remain committed to providing our customers with safe and reliable vehicles, and we will continue to defend our products vigorously at trial in other legal venues," she said.
However, some believe that the acceleration was a failure in Toyota's design and they are wholly responsible. There is a possibility that Toyota will need to recall all affected Camry cars and replace the system that is potentially causing rapid acceleration.
"We are fully convinced that Toyota's conduct from the time the electronic throttle control system was designed has been shameful," said attorney J. Cole Portis. "We appreciate that the jury had the courage to let Toyota and the public know that Toyota was reckless. Hopefully, Toyota will recall all of their questionable vehicles and install a computer that will be safe."
