SANTA ANA, Calif. -
Toyota’s request for a Santa Ana, Calif., federal judge to halt the class-action lawsuit involving claims of vehicle-value erosion from unintended acceleration appears likely to be rejected, according to various news reports.
In U.S. District Court last week, Judge James Selna issued a temporary ruling indicating that he plans on allowing the plaintiffs’ suits to proceed, the reports noted.
In other words, he plans on denying Toyota’s call to dismiss the case.
The plaintiffs insist that the vehicles’ values were damaged by unintended acceleration, while Toyota argues otherwise.
Selna’s ruling is not final, though it should be finalized before Thursday, according to the reports.
Toyota responded with this statement:
“Importantly, today’s hearing did not address the merits of plaintiffs’ allegations and did not consider any evidence,” the automaker said. “At this early stage, this analysis by the court requires a basic assumption that the plaintiffs’ allegations are true, even though they are unproven.
“The burden is now squarely on plaintiffs’ counsel to prove their allegations and Toyota is confident that no such proof exists,” the statement continued.
Toyota added: “This lawsuit is based on a wholly unsubstantiated claim that there is a defect in Toyota’s Electronic Throttle Control System that causes unintended acceleration.
“But even after months of intense publicity and multiple investigations, the plaintiffs have neither cited nor identified any specific defect in Toyota’s Electronic Throttle Control System and no credible scientific theory or proof has been advanced to support the allegations in their consolidated complaint,” the company stressed.
Toyota further emphasized that the system is “safe, well-designed, thoroughly tested and robust.”
Toyota is also facing suits in which plaintiffs have alleged that unintended acceleration led to death or injury. Toyota has also asked that these be dismissed, as well. Selna will hear that motion on Dec. 9, a report noted.