Washington Injury Law Blog

Toyota has recalled some 8.4 million vehicles.  Although new reports surface almost daily detailing how Toyota new it had a safety defect in its accelerator pedals but did nothing for years.  Toyota’s failure to warn its customers or recall the defective gas pedals has at last count cost 34 people their lives and lesser injuries to hundreds more.  Outrageous!  That’s 34 wrongful death lawsuit Toyota can expect to be defending.

An what’s worse is that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which regulates auto makers, knew about it for the last year and did not force Toyota to recall its cars.  Doubly outrageous!!

It’s corporate gross negligence like Toyota’s that results in huge amounts of litigation.  Companies, like Toyota did, choose profits over human lives all the time.  It’s rare the public gets a glimpse of this under the media spot light. 

I’m obviously a biased Kirkland personal injury trial attorney, but am still amazed at the conduct of Toyota executives.  Trial lawyers get blamed for rampant lawsuits, but is that really the case?  No, of course not.  It’s companies like Toyota blaming others or ignoring the mess hidden behind their front doors that lead to lawsuits. 

A little personal and corporate responsibility would have went a long way in preventing needless injuries and deaths to innocent Toyota customers.  Doing the right thing needs to mean choosing safety over profits.  As a consumer you can send that message loud and clear by putting your dollars behind companies who act responsibly while shunning those who don’t.