BOSTON (Legal Newsline) — A Massachusetts class action lawsuit is alleging Toyota concealed defects of unintended acceleration with its vehicles.
Jeffrey A. Bloom, ESQ., as personal representative and successor-in-interest to the Estate of Adria C. Burstein, filed a complaint Dec.6 in Suffolk County Superior Court against Toyota Motor North America Inc.,, Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Inc., Toyota Motor Sales and others alleging negligence, strict products liability and other claims.
According to the plaintiff's complaint, Burstein was driving her 2013 Toyota RAV4 on December 6, 2020, when the vehicle "suddenly and unexpectedly accelerated out of control." The plaintiff claims Burstein's car crashed into a concrete wall "at a high rate of speed" and caused her to suffer permanent damages.
Bloom alleges Toyota's public commitment to build a safe and reliable car for the past 50 years breached consumers' trust and that Toyota's own internal documentation shows defects with their vehicles' throttle control systems. He further alleges Toyota received evidence for years that its cars have accelerated suddenly, which caused the launch of a 2003 investigation by The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Bloom also claims that despite the investigation, media attention and congressional scrutiny, Toyota has failed to address the root cause of the defect and alleges Toyota used "sticky pedals and floor mats" as a "smoke screen to hide electronic defects." He claims the defendants' negligence for failing to provide adequate warnings.
Bloom seeks monetary relief, interest, trial by jury and all other just relief. He is represented by Kerry Choi of Bergstresser & Pollock PC in Boston and John Kristensen of Carpenter & Zuckerman in Beverly Hills, California.
Superior Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts case number 22-2758E