Lawmakers are investigating why it took Toyota several years from the time safety complaints started to come in to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”) for the Japanese auto maker to initiate auto recalls. Every driver in San Antonio was placed at risk by this delay. San Antonio injury lawyers can make a difference by pursuing claims against manufacturers when they place defective products into the stream of commerce. This delay in dealing with a very serious safety issue placed at risk not only owners of the recalled vehicles but every automobile driver that shares the road with the faulty vehicles.
Toyota, in particular, is also being criticized because of their early efforts to minimize the seriousness of the defect. Reports are coming forward that Toyota may have known for years that the unanticipated acceleration issue was present in its vehicles; however, internal company memorandums indicate that the car manufacturer was more interested in the profits being made on those models. In short, it was more expensive and would cut into profitability to fix the problem with a recall.
There must be economic consequences for a company that puts dangerous products on our streets and particularly when they delay fixing the problems; manufacturers that are driven by bottom line profits need to be held accountable for the lives they impact. Only when citizens hold companies accountable through jury verdicts, will profits be placed below human value, rather than placed above human value.
