INSURERS FILE SUIT AGAINST TOYOTA

Several insurers have filed suit in a Los Angeles court against Japanese motor manufacturer Toyota over crashes that the insurers blame on sudden and unexpected acceleration in Toyota cars. American Automobile Insurance, Fireman's Fund Insurance, National Surety, Ameriprise Insurance, IDS Property Casualty Insurance, Motorists Mutual Insurance and American Hardware Mutual Insurance are blaming 725 crashes on Toyota's failure to put an override system in their vehicles that would have put the car into neutral if the accelerator and brake pedals were activated simultaneously in automatic transmission vehicles. Toyota spokeswoman Celeste Migliore told the Los Angeles Times that "Toyota believes that any allegation that a vehicle-based defect is the cause of unintended acceleration in this or any other complaint is completely unfounded and has no basis".