Toyota Held Responsible By Court For Fatal Motor Vehicle Accident
The ruling of a U.S court during the last week of January brought some relief to those impacted by a fatal accident that occurred in 2006. After the deliberation, the jury awarded damages to the different parties involved in the court case that totaled approximately $11 million. According to the jury, the motor vehicle manufacturer carried 60 percent of the blame for the motor vehicle accident, while the driver of the Toyota carried the remaining 40 percent. The verdict may be interesting to New Jersey residents who believe themselves victims of defective auto parts.
The case against Toyota was brought before the court by the driver of the Camry, his family, two of the people seriously injured in the accident and the family of the paralyzed girl, who has since passed away. According to the driver of the Camry, he did everything possible to stop before his car slammed into the other vehicle. Toyota still maintains that there is nothing wrong with this specific model.
During the trial, it was pointed out that there are problems with the design of this Toyota model, particularly with the auto-drive assembly, which may get stuck under certain circumstances. The verdict may be a wake-up call for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to take a good look at this Toyota. The driver of the 1996 Toyota Camry has always insisted that a defect led to the accident.
The verdict in this case is an illustration of the law at work. Although the verdict cannot undo the damages suffered, the injured victims and their families have the satisfaction of knowing the car manufacturer has been forced to consider the defect in the design of the car. New Jersey families who believe they have also lost a loved one in a fatal motor vehicle accident caused by a defect in the vehicle design may find it beneficial to consult with a lawyer on the matter.
Source: my9nj.com, “Jury: Toyota must pay $11M to victims of fatal crash“, Amy Forliti, Accessed on Feb. 4, 2015
