Toyota Class Action Lawsuit
Punitive Damages

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Toyota Motor Company has recalled millions of Toyota and Lexus vehicles due to the risk of sudden and unintended acceleration. Toyota class action lawsuits have been filed on behalf of owners of the recalled vehicles and used car dealerships that own the recalled vehicles. These actions seek both compensatory and punitive damages from Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. and Toyota Motor Company. Attorney David Szerlag is spearheading our law firm’s involvement. To contact David about a Toyota class action lawsuit, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm's online consultation form.

Toyota Class Action Lawsuit for Punitive Damages

Punitive damages are meant to punish behavior as a deterrent to future, similar behavior. Punitive damages are awarded where compensatory damages are deemed an inadequate remedy due to malicious or reckless behavior.

The Toyota recalls of millions of vehicles due to accelerator problems came years after the first reports of sudden, unexplained acceleration of vehicles, even then Toyota blamed floor mats and released a statement on Nov. 3, 2010, stating The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) had concluded that "no defect exists" in the recalled vehicles. NHTSA responded by calling Toyota's "inaccurate and misleading."

Later meetings between Toyota and NHTSA officials revealed additional information that we allege indicates a pattern of fraud and concealment on the part of Toyota, even when the company knew of cases of serious injury and death associated with the accelerator problems.

On February 16, 2010 NHTSA announced that it is using its statutory authority to obtain documents from Toyota to determine if the automaker conducted three of its recent recalls in a timely manner. Federal law requires all auto manufacturers to notify NHTSA within five days of determining that a safety defect exists and promptly conduct a recall.

NHTSA is requiring Toyota to provide documents showing when and how it learned of the defects affecting approximately 6 million vehicles in the U.S. alone. The probe will examine how the manufacturer learned of these defects, such as through consumer complaints or factory testing. Investigators are also looking into whether Toyota discovered the problems during pre-production or post-production of the affected vehicles.

Officials are checking whether Toyota has covered all affected models in its recent recalls to ensure Toyota did not miss any problems. The agency will obtain information on production data, incidents, complaints, warranty complaints, copies of tests, dates of meetings, timelines, and supplier information.

NHTSA has the authority to seek civil penalties for a variety of violations by manufacturers, equipment suppliers, registered importers and vehicle customizers. If agency officials determine that an auto manufacturer violated its statutory obligations, the manufacturer could be liable for a maximum of $16.4 million in civil penalties.

The information gathered in the NHTSA investigation will be used in Toyota class action lawsuits to prove that members of the class should be awarded punitive damages because Toyota acted with malice and in a reckless manner, causing both physical and financial harm.

Toyota Owners Class Action Lawsuit

If you are an owner of a Toyota vehicle recalled due to the risk of sudden, unintended acceleration, you may be part of a class action lawsuit against Toyota seeking recovery of economic losses associated with the ownership and repair of the recalled Toyota. If you have been injured in a recalled Toyota, you may also have claims against Toyota for medical expenses, pain and suffering and other damages. Read about a Toyota Owners Class Action Lawsuit and a Lexus Owners Class Action Lawsuit.

Toyota Class Action Lawsuit: Used Auto Dealers

If you own a used auto dealership and you own a recalled Toyota, Lexus or Pontiac, you may be eligible to join a class action lawsuit against Toyota seeking compensatory and punitive damages. The class action lawsuit alleges that businesses that own vehicles recalled due to sudden and unintended acceleration have sustained economic losses and should be compensated for that loss. Read more about the Toyota Class Action Lawsuit for Used Car Dealers and the Lexus Class Action Lawsuit for Used Auto Dealers (Dealerships).

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Toyota Class Action Lawsuit Punitive Damages