Toyota pays $10 million to California family over sudden acceleration lawsuit

Lexus ES
Lexus ES

Toyota won approval from a California Superior Court Judge for a $10 million settlement with the family of a California Highway Patrol Officer who died along with three others when their Lexus ES 350 unintentionally accelerated to speeds in excess of 100mph back in 2009.

The San Diego dealership that had loaned the car, Bob Baker Lexus, objected to the settlement, as it leaves the dealership with unresolved negligence claims. Toyota said that a San Diego County Sherriff’s Department report “determined that the cause was an incompatible all-weather floor mat from a Lexus SUV model that was installed incorrectly in the ES 350 sedan at the dealership.”

An attorney for Bob Baker Lexus disagreed with the report’s conclusions, we he said were only preliminary, and that a subsequent investigation indicated a possible electronic problem with the vehicle.

– By: Stephen Calogera

Source: Bloomberg