Toyota faces lawsuit consolidation hearing – lawsuits could cost Toyota billions

SAN DIEGO - Attorneys for Toyota Motor Corp. and people suing the Japanese automaker over sudden acceleration problems urged a federal panel Thursday to consolidate more than 200 lawsuits before a single judge, with Los Angeles federal court emerging as the favored venue.

Lawyers said Toyota currently faces 138 potential class-action lawsuits over falling vehicle values and about 97 personal injury and wrongful death cases in federal courts nationwide.

The lawsuits have been popping up on court dockets nationwide following Toyota's recalls involving some 8 million vehicles, including about 6 million in the U.S., over sticky gas pedals, pedals that can get stuck under floor mats and braking problems on its Prius hybrid.

Toyota has blamed the sudden acceleration problems on floor mats and accelerators that sometimes stick. Most of the owner lawsuits, however, trace the incidents to faulty electronic throttle controls that they say Toyota has been aware of and covered up for nearly a decade.

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