Toyota slapped with Orange County lawsuit

[OhioChick]

Source: Reuters

13 Mar 2010, 0502 hrs IST, REUTERS

SANTA ANA: Southern California prosecutors filed the first US consumer protection lawsuit against Toyota Motor Corp on Friday, claiming it had engaged in "fraud" by hiding evidence of dangerous vehicle defects.

Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas said his office along with private attorneys sued the US sales arm of Toyota, charging that the world's top-selling automaker has endangered the public with defective vehicles, and engaged in deceptive business practices.

"Against this backdrop of fraud and concealment, Toyota has for decades touted its reputation for safety and reliability and knew that people bought its vehicles because of that reputation and yet purposefully chose to conceal and suppress the existence and nature of defects," said the 18-page lawsuit filed on Friday morning.

The suit seeks to keep Toyota "from continuing to endanger the public through the sale of defective vehicles and deceptive business practices."


Read more: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/5678478.cms

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Employee warned Toyota boss of safety problems in 2006: Report

13 Mar 2010, 0114 hrs IST, AGENCIES

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Staff-warned-Toyota-boss-of-safety-problems-in-2006/articleshow/5676773.cms

[Tempest]

1. So conservative Orange County is suing

And here I thought conservatives were against litigation against corporations.

[divideandconquer]

3. Toyota has proven to be so despicable, not even the knuckledraggers can defend them

Why would we turn one of our most important industries over to the nation that gave us Pearl harbor?

[jody]

2. OK but who gets the money if Orange County wins? I doubt if those who bought Toyota's will get a

penny and would an award prevent individuals from suing Toyota?

[OhioChick]

4. You raise some good questions, Jody. n/t

[pitchforksandtorches]

5. OC wants it to fill their coffers after their BK of 1994.

[ingac70]

6. When will they be charged with murder?

Ford was, over the Pinto in the 70's.