Lawyers for Toyota Motor Corp. have taken a step toward settling hundreds of lawsuits filed on behalf of drivers injured or killed in accidents blamed on sudden, unintended acceleration, according to court documents.
Toyota attorney John Hooper, a New York partner at Reed Smith, and members of the plaintiffs team have asked the judge to establish an “intensive settlement process,” including a mandatory conference to iron out details, according to a motion filed on Thursday. U.S. District Judge James Selna in Santa Ana, Calif., overseeing the litigation in federal court against Toyota, approved the request and scheduled a Jan. 14 hearing.
