Toyota settles first of hundreds of wrongful death suits
Although they dont have their loved ones back, the families of Paul Van Alfen and Charlene Jones Lloyd are at least getting some closure.
January 22, 2013 at 05:48 AM
2 minute read
The original version of this story was published on Law.com
Although they don't have their loved ones back, the families of Paul Van Alfen and Charlene Jones Lloyd are at least getting some closure. Late last week, they reached a settlement with Toyota over the wrongful deaths of Van Alfen and Lloyd, who were killed when their Toyota Camry suddenly and unintentionally accelerated and slammed into a wall in 2010. Set to go to trial next month, this is the first suit of its kind to settle.
Toyota is still facing hundreds of wrongful death and injury suits over the unintended acceleration problem, which has plagued the company since 2009 and involves some Toyota and Lexus vehicles built between 2007 and 2010. The company said that while there may be other settlements to come, in some cases, there are opportunities for Toyota to defend its product.
“We sympathize with anyone in an accident involving one of our vehicles,” Toyota said in a statement, “however we continue to stand fully behind the safety and integrity of Toyota's Electronic Throttle Control System, which multiple independent evaluations have confirmed as safe.”
Toyota has blamed drivers, oversized floor mats and stuck accelerators for many of these accidents. The company has not released the terms of this settlement.
Late last year, Toyota agreed to a $1 billion-plus settlement to bring to an end hundreds of suits claiming economic losses Toyota owners incurred as a result the acceleration problem and recalls.
Read more InsideCounsel stories about Toyota's ongoing litigation:
Toyota sudden acceleration settlement wins preliminary approval
Toyota settles suit with shareholders
First Toyota sudden acceleration case dismissed
California law won't help some Toyota owners sue the company
Toyota slapped with maximum fine
This content has been archived. It is available through our partners, LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law.
To view this content, please continue to their sites.
Not a Lexis Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
Not a Bloomberg Law Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
NOT FOR REPRINT
© 2025 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
You Might Like
View All
Trending Stories
Who Got The Work
J. Brugh Lower of Gibbons has entered an appearance for industrial equipment supplier Devco Corporation in a pending trademark infringement lawsuit. The suit, accusing the defendant of selling knock-off Graco products, was filed Dec. 18 in New Jersey District Court by Rivkin Radler on behalf of Graco Inc. and Graco Minnesota. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi, is 3:24-cv-11294, Graco Inc. et al v. Devco Corporation.
Who Got The Work
Rebecca Maller-Stein and Kent A. Yalowitz of Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer have entered their appearances for Hanaco Venture Capital and its executives, Lior Prosor and David Frankel, in a pending securities lawsuit. The action, filed on Dec. 24 in New York Southern District Court by Zell, Aron & Co. on behalf of Goldeneye Advisors, accuses the defendants of negligently and fraudulently managing the plaintiff's $1 million investment. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick, is 1:24-cv-09918, Goldeneye Advisors, LLC v. Hanaco Venture Capital, Ltd. et al.
Who Got The Work
Attorneys from A&O Shearman has stepped in as defense counsel for Toronto-Dominion Bank and other defendants in a pending securities class action. The suit, filed Dec. 11 in New York Southern District Court by Bleichmar Fonti & Auld, accuses the defendants of concealing the bank's 'pervasive' deficiencies in regards to its compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act and the quality of its anti-money laundering controls. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian, is 1:24-cv-09445, Gonzalez v. The Toronto-Dominion Bank et al.
Who Got The Work
Crown Castle International, a Pennsylvania company providing shared communications infrastructure, has turned to Luke D. Wolf of Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani to fend off a pending breach-of-contract lawsuit. The court action, filed Nov. 25 in Michigan Eastern District Court by Hooper Hathaway PC on behalf of The Town Residences LLC, accuses Crown Castle of failing to transfer approximately $30,000 in utility payments from T-Mobile in breach of a roof-top lease and assignment agreement. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Susan K. Declercq, is 2:24-cv-13131, The Town Residences LLC v. T-Mobile US, Inc. et al.
Who Got The Work
Wilfred P. Coronato and Daniel M. Schwartz of McCarter & English have stepped in as defense counsel to Electrolux Home Products Inc. in a pending product liability lawsuit. The court action, filed Nov. 26 in New York Eastern District Court by Poulos Lopiccolo PC and Nagel Rice LLP on behalf of David Stern, alleges that the defendant's refrigerators’ drawers and shelving repeatedly break and fall apart within months after purchase. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Joan M. Azrack, is 2:24-cv-08204, Stern v. Electrolux Home Products, Inc.
Featured Firms
Law Offices of Gary Martin Hays & Associates, P.C.
(470) 294-1674
Law Offices of Mark E. Salomone
(857) 444-6468
Smith & Hassler
(713) 739-1250
