Source: Hagens Berman release
CINCINNATI — Owners of Toyota vehicles have hit the automaker with a class-action lawsuit regarding a brake defect affecting hundreds of thousands of its Avalon, Camry and Prius models, according to attorneys at Hagens Berman
According to the lawsuit filed Apr. 3, 2020 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, owners of the affected vehicles report that the defect causes the vehicle’s braking system to intermittently fail, leading to high risk of crash, injury and potential fatality.
The defect can manifest even in new, or almost new vehicles, and drivers report the instance of the defect especially when attempting to brake while traversing bumpy or slick surfaces such as potholes, metal sheets or ice, but reports to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) also document the defect in many other conditions, leading to crashes and injuries.
The BRAKE Report posts on similar subject:
Brake Issue Leads to Review of Some Toyota Hybrids
Toyota Braking Systems at Center of New Lawsuit
TOYOTA RECALL NEEDED, SAYS PETITION
“Hundreds of thousands of Toyota vehicles are susceptible to this dangerous defect, and so far Toyota has refused to act responsibly to save lives and prevent injuries,” said Steve Berman, managing partner of Hagens Berman and attorney representing Toyota owners in the class action. “Crashes are happening because of this brake defect, and people are reporting injuries. Every day Toyota waits to respond is a day someone could suffer a fatality.”
The lawsuit alleges the defect in the brake systems in the affected vehicles stems from the brake booster pump assembly, which “can—and with unreasonably frequency does—fail to operate as necessary to ensure the brakes engage when the brake pedal is depressed,” according to the filed complaint.
Hagens Berman also represented Toyota owners against the automaker in what was then the largest automotive class action suit in history. The lawsuit pertained to a defect in Toyota models causing sudden unintended acceleration and settled for $1.6 billion.
“This isn’t the first time we have caught Toyota in the crosshairs of a major safety defect,” Berman added. “As we did in the sudden unintended acceleration case, we intend to hold Toyota accountable for this serious hazard to Toyota owners and others on the road.”
The entire release can be viewed by clicking HERE.
