On Tuesday January 26, 2010, Toyota announced that not only was it recalling certain vehicles related to safety concerns regarding the acceleration of the vehicle, but now Toyota is halting production and sales of many of its most popular vehicles. Toyota initially claimed the floor mats could make a driver unable to stop the car. Now Toyota is claiming a sticking accelerator is causing the safety problems.

The seriousness of this recall can be seen in the changes Toyota made this passed Tuesday. Rarely does a car manufacturer halt production and sales of its vehicles, especially multiple top selling vehicles, unless there are serious safety concerns. There may very well be more to this tale than Toyota is currently sharing with the public.

There have already been several complaints and injuries related to uncontrollable accelerating vehicles. People injured as a result of these faulty cars have a right to seek answers from Toyota, and Toyota should be held responsible for the injuries suffered to these people through no fault of their own. The vehicles affected by the recall include: 2009-2010 Rav 4, 2009-2010 Corolla, 2009-2010 Matrix, 2005-2010 Avalon, 2007-2010 Camry, 2010 Highlander, 2007-2010 Tundra, 2008-2010 Sequoia.

If you or someone you know has been injured as a result of the recalled Toyota vehicles, contact Gary D. McCallister & Associates, LLC. You may be entitled to money damages.

Recently Toyota announced the floor mats in several Toyota and Lexus vehicles have the potential to become trapped causing unexpected acceleration of the vehicle, which may lead to serious injuries or death. The recall effects the following vehicles, the 2007 – 2010 Camry, 2005-2010 Avalon, 2004-2009 Prius, 2005-2010 Tacoma, 2007-2010 Tundra, 2007-2010 ES350, 2006-2010 IS250 and the 2006-2010 IS350.

Owners of these vehicles should contact a local dealer to have the problem corrected, however, it is likely the problem will not be fixed until parts are available and mechanics are properly trained, which will likely be in early 2010. In the interim, owners should remove the floor mats from the driver’s side to avoid any potential harm.

If you have been involved in a collision as a result of unexpected acceleration in one of these vehicles, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact an attorney at Gary D. McCallister & Associates, LLC for more information.

A recall is planned for November 2008 for 204,361 Nissan vehicles. Nissan is planning the recall because of a possible faulty passenger airbag. Nissan believes in approximately 1% of the recalled vehicles the passenger airbag will not deploy in an accident. The vehicles affected by the recall are 2007 and 2008 models. Specifically, Nissan is looking to recall the Altima, Altima Coupe, Murano, 350Z and the Nissan Rogue. Nissan is also expected to recall Infinity Models including the G35 Sedan, EX35 and G37 Coupe.

While many of the vehicles do not have faulty parts, it is important to contact your Nissan dealer if you own one of these vehicles. Nissan plans to replace the defective parts.

If you or a family member have been involved in a car accident while in any of these models and the airbag did not deploy, you may be able to take legal action against the car manufacturer. People with injuries related to the failure of the passenger airbag deploying in one of these cars should contact Gary D. McCallister and Associates immediately. An attorney will be able to help you determine whether you are able to take legal action against Nissan.

A single vehicle accident left an 18 year old Chicago man dead early Tuesday morning. Another Chicago man and a woman from Janesville were reported to be injured in the accident. It is believed the man that survived was treated and released from the hospital, however, the condition of the woman is unknown at this time. The car was found in a ditch on County A east of Church Road about 2 miles north of Footville.

Police reported skid marks approximately 50 feet in length on the road and believe the car traveled at least another 250 feet once it left the road. The family of the man killed and those injured in the accident may be entitled to compensation for their injuries. In a one car accident, many times the injured passengers can recover for injuries from the driver. The passengers of the vehicle or their families should contact an attorney to find out if they can make a claim against the driver for their injuries or death.

Raisa Gilevaja was walking across Armitage Avenue at Damen in Chicago when she was struck and killed by a concrete mixing truck. Gilevaja, who was 75, was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in critical condition. She was pronounced dead shortly after she arrived.

The truck driver was cited at the scene for failure to exercise due care while a pedestrian was in the roadway. The truck driver and the company he works for may face a lawsuit in the future for the wrongful death of Raisa Gilevaja.

Inder “Paul” Batra and his wife Uma were the victims of a reckless car accident in California this past week. The couple was walking near their San Jose home when a car speeding around a turn at 80 miles per hour crashed into the couple and killed them. The driver and passenger of the car were also killed in the accident. It appears the driver lost control of the car when he was driving around the curve that has a speed limit of 35 miles per hour.

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A collision between two cars of teenagers on Tuesday claimed the life of Gina Bronge. Gina, only 15 years old, was a passenger in a 2002 Jeep Wrangler that collided with a Hyundai Tiburan at the intersection of Waukegan and Kates roads in Deerfield, Illinois. Police have not issued any citations in the accident and do not believe alcohol or drugs played a roll in the collision.

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A car accident on Chicago’s Northwest Side has claimed the life of one passenger. Darlene Reyes was only fifteen years old when she became a victim of a deadly car crash. She was the passenger in a car that had pulled out into cross-traffic in an attempt to make a left turn. While the car was in traffic another car going straight smashed into the passenger side of the car Reyes was in. She was pronounced dead two days after the accident.

The driver of the car that Darlene Reyes was in was cited for two violations. The Reyes family may be able to recover for the wrongful death of Darlene and should contact an attorney immediately.

A car crashed into the Panera Bread Store located at 1199 Wilmette Avenue in Wilmette, Illinois on Thursday afternoon. The crash resulted in ten people being transported to local hospitals. Three of the victims were believed to have critical injuries. The car was being driven by an older woman when it crashed into the restaurant and pinned one girl under the car and another under the wheel.

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A van struck two pedestrians Monday morning when it ran onto the sidewalk in front of the Cosi restaurant at 230 W. Washington Street. The van also struck a garbage can which went through the window of the restaurant. The accident injured four people, including the driver of the van. All four were taken to the hospital. At least one person was in critical condition.

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