AP: Seven insurance companies sue Toyota over unintended acceleration-related claims
 

<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/government-legal/" rel="tag">Government/Legal</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/safety/" rel="tag">Safety</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/toyota/" rel="tag">Toyota</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/earnings-financials/" rel="tag">Earnings/Financials</a></p><a href="http://autos.aol.com/article/toyota-insurance-lawsuit/"><img hspace="0" vspace="4" border="0" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/07/toyota-frown.jpg" alt="unhappy Toyota windshield sticker" /></a><br />
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Can't say we didn't see this one coming... According to the <em>Associated Press</em>, seven insurance companies* are suing <a href="http://autoblog.com/make/toyota">Toyota</a> in California court for damages in excess of $230,000. We suspect that figure could rise, as it's derived from just 14 of the alleged 725 total accidents the insurers claim Toyota is at least partially at fault for.<br />
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The suit reportedly alleges that Toyota is at fault for accidents blamed on unintended acceleration because the Japanese automaker failed to equip its vehicles with a <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/Brake+Override/">brake override system</a> that would electronically force the engine to return to idle if both the accelerator and brake pedals were pressed at the same time. After the recall hubbub first began, Toyota <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/01/12/breaking-toyota-said-to-install-brake-override-systems-in-all-c/">announced</a> that all of its future models will come with this technology.<br />
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For its part, a Toyota spokesperson unsurprisingly responded that "any allegation that a vehicle-based defect is the cause of unintended acceleration in this or any other complaint is completely unfounded and has no basis." In December of 2010, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/12/24/report-toyota-to-pay-out-10m-in-lexus-runaway-lawsuit/">Toyota agreed to settle</a> a high-profile case in California regarding unintended acceleration in a <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/model/camry">Toyota Camry</a> for $10 million, though it never admitted any wrongdoing. <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/26/nhtsa-releases-new-info-about-crash-that-prompted-toyota-floorma/">Four people were killed</a> in that accident.<br />
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In October of 2010, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/10/05/toyota-sued-by-allstate-over-sudden-acceleration-insurance-claim/">Allstate filed suit</a> against Toyota seeking $3 million in compensation as a result of 270 claims of <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/sudden+acceleration">sudd en acceleration</a>.<br />
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*The seven insurance companies bringing forth this suit are: American Automobile Insurance Co., Fireman's Fund Insurance, National Surety Corp., Ameriprise Insurance, IDS Property Casualty Insurance, Motorists Mutual Insurance and American Hardware Mutual Insurance.<br />
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[Source: Associated Press via <a href="http://autos.aol.com/article/toyota-insurance-lawsuit/">AOL Autos</a> | Image: David McNew/Getty]<p style="padding:5px;backgr ound:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/01/04/ap-seven-insurance-companies-sue-toyota-over-unintended-acceler/">AP: Seven insurance companies sue Toyota over unintended acceleration-related claims</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblo g</a> on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 15:34:00 EST. Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/01/04/ap-seven-insurance-companies-sue-toyota-over-unintended-acceler/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19786561/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/01/04/ap-seven-insurance-companies-sue-toyota-over-unintended-acceler/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>

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