With Toyota issuing some huge recalls these days, it was just a matter time before politicians and lawyers would show up to the “party” and start defending the average consumer which bought cars from the Japanese company.
As such, the USA House of Representatives’ Energy and Commerce committee will hold a hearing on February 25th, where executives from Toyota will be answering questions regarding “the persistent consumer complaints of sudden unintended acceleration in vehicles manufactured by Toyota Motor Corporation,” according to Henry Waxman, the committee chairman.
Not only will representatives be forced to attend such a hearing, but it seems Toyota’s legal department will also have some explaining to do, as two law firms, Parker Waichman Alonso and the Becnel Law Firm, have filed a class action lawsuit against the Japanese carmaker over the huge recalls it has made.
According to representatives from the two companies, all Toyota drivers which bought cars from 2005 to 2010, have “lost the use of their vehicles, and sustained, among things, economic losses and severe emotional distress.” As such, Toyota, besides fixing the vehicles in question during the recall, needs to pay “compensatory, punitive and exemplary damages for the Class, as well as equitable and declaratory relief.”
Toyota still has a lot of things to take care of these days so it’s still too early to tell where these new actions will lead. What do you think? Will Toyota escape this legal and political problem?
Source: The Detroit News, Autoblog
