Recent Posts in Class Action Lawsuits Category

A class action lawsuit may soon be filed in connection with a January 25 Cleveland home explosion that damaged 57 buildings nearby.

A lawsuit was filed against Dominion East Ohio Gas Co. and EZ Access Funding, an investment company based in California. The lawsuit is blaming the two companies for a gas leak that resulted in a home explosion.

According to the lawsuit, EZ Access ignored its responsibility to maintain the home, which has been vacant since last summer. The lawsuit also alleges that Dominion failed to ensure the gas was shut off after residents complained they could smell a natural gas odor four days before the explosion.  

Gerald Walton, the attorney representing EZ Access, said his client is not to blame for the explosion. He said his client was completely unaware that utilities were being supplied to the home and that they never authorized the gas or any other utilities to be turned on.

Attorney Scott Kalish is representing the owners of three of the homes that were damaged, as well as a dozen other people who rent properties in the area. He believes there could be up to 60 additional property owners and 80 additional renters affected by the explosion. He also says that four people suffered minor injuries in the blast.

Kalish is hoping to classify the lawsuit as class action.

In January, Toyota Motor Corp. issued a massive recall of millions of its vehicles after a class action lawsuit was filed against the corporation. The lawsuit claims that several Toyota models have a faulty electronic throttle-control system that could cause the vehicle to accelerate suddenly without input from the driver and against the driver’s intentions.  

Last week, Toyota said it would immediately stop the sale of new models of the Camry, Avalon, RAV4, and Tundra, some of the company’s top-selling vehicles.  So far, the company has recalled the following models:

• 2009-2010 RAV4 crossover
• 2009-2010 Corolla
• 2009-2010 Matrix hatchback
• 2005-2010 Avalon
• 2007-2010 Camry
• 2010 Highlander crossover
• 2007-2010 Tundra pickup truck
• 2008-2010 Sequoia SUV

The class action lawsuit claims these aren’t the only models consumers should be concerned about. Allegedly several other models are at risk, including:

• 2007-2008 FJ Cruisers
• 2003-2008 Tacoma pickup truck
• 2002-2009 Camry
• 2000-2009 Tundra pickup truck
• 2001-2009 4Runner SUV
• 2001-2009 Land Cruisers
• 2005-2009 RAV4s
• 2001-2009 Sequoias SUV
• 2004-2009 Sienna van
• 2005-2009 Corollas
• 2004-2009 Highlanders
• “Lexus models" from 1998 to 2009

None of the company’s Lexus models have been recalled yet.

The lawsuit also claims that Toyota, as Toyota Motor North America, deceptively concealed numerous consumer complaints regarding acceleration incidents that lasted more than one second or if the driver couldn’t stop the acceleration after applying the brakes.

Toyota Motor Corp., as well as its North American and West Virginian subsidiaries, have all been named as defendants in the lawsuit.