New York jury clears Toyota in accident case

A federal jury in New York yesterday ruled against a petitioner who sued Toyota Motor Corporation, claiming a defect in his Toyota Scion had led to an accident.

The jury said it found no merit in the claim made by Amir Sitalfalwalla that a defect in his car caused it to suddenly accelerate and smash into a tree.

The jury agreed with Toyota's lawyer, John Randolph Bibb Jr, who argued that the accident was caused by the driver rather than the floor mat.
 
Toyota had to recall millions of vehicles, starting 2009, for unintended acceleration-related defects.

Sitafalwalla's case was the first to go to trial since the recalls. The Long Island doctor had filed his lawsuit in 2008.

According to Sitafalwalla, either the electronic throttle system or the floor mats had caused the accident. On 29 March, judge E Thomas Boyle, the presiding magistrate in the trial, ruled out the crash could have been caused by electronics.

"We weighed all the evidence and came to the conclusion that there was not any defect with the automobile," said Regina Desio of Plainview, NY, the jury forewoman.
 
Albert Zafonte Jr, a lawyer for Sitafalwalla, said he was "disappointed in the verdict. I thought there was sufficient evidence for the jury to find otherwise."

Toyota spokeswoman, Celeste Migliore said the case clearly demonstrated the plaintiff's inability to identify, let alone prove the existence of, an alleged electronic defect in Toyota vehicles that could cause unintended acceleration.