Toyota's Lawsuit Woes Accelerate Into the Bay Area

Two Bay Area women are suing Toyota over a 2008 accident involving  a Toyota Camry that allegedly accelerated uncontrollably and crashed into a  brick wall in Bay Point.
     
The crash happened on Dec. 21, 2008 at about 7:11 a.m. Gloria  Flores, a resident of San Francisco and Contra Costa County, was driving her  2002 Toyota Camry east on Canal Road in unincorporated Bay Point when the car  allegedly accelerated out of control and crashed.

Flores and her sister Rosalinda Carranza, who was a passenger in  the car, were both injured in the crash, according to the complaint, which  was filed Thursday in Contra Costa County Superior Court.

In the complaint, the two sisters allege that Toyota knew of  manufacturing defects that caused their vehicles to accelerate out of  control, but failed to recall the vehicles or notify consumers of the  problem.

The complaint alleges that prior to the crash Toyota had received  numerous complaints of sudden acceleration of Toyota Camrys in particular and  acted with "malice and in conscious disregard of the rights and safety of  others" when they failed to warn consumers of the defective vehicles.

Flores and Carranza claim that they suffered physical injuries,  had to pay medical expenses and lost earnings as a result of the accident.  Flores' husband, Ricardo Flores, is also named in the lawsuit, which claims  that he suffered the loss of his wife's companionship as a result of the  accident.

A spokesperson for Toyota said Friday afternoon that it is the  company's policy not to comment on pending litigation.