Auto giant Toyota Motors might have to pay compensation of about $3 million for a defect in a Camry model. The defect in question caused the car to suddenly speed up, which resulted in an accident where one woman was died and another sustained injuries.
A jury from Oklahoma said that it awarded $1.5 million for each claim and will also consider punitive damages. The jury found that the electronic system of the Camry was defective and the car manufacturer acted with reckless disregard. Carly Schaffner, a spokesperson for Toyota in a statement said, “Per the court’s instructions, we cannot comment on the ruling pending the ongoing deliberations by the jury”.
The Camry was a 2005 model driven by Jean Bookout and the vehicle sped out of control as she was leaving a highway in Oklahoma in 2007. The driver of the car could not stop it and the accident injured her and killed the passenger and a friend Barbara Shwartz. However, Toyota denied that there was any defect in the Camry.
The defense of Toyota was rejected and the court held the company responsible for the accident. This lawsuit is one of several hundred claims that are filed against the auto company.
Photo Credits: Daily Mail
