HOUSTON – A Travis County woman alleges that a defect in her Toyota vehicle caused it to catch on fire while in operation.
Sarah Martinez filed a complaint on May 10 in the Harris County Circuit Court against Toyota Motor Sales USA Inc., Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas Inc., Toyota Motor North America, et al. alleging strict products liability, negligence and other counts.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on May 28, 2016, she was driving her 2012 Toyota Corolla on the freeway and the vehicle's engine cabin erupted into flames. The suit states the plaintiff managed to escape from the moving vehicle but suffered severe personal injuries.
The suit states that the fire started on the left side of the engine compartment at the battery cable. After a clear forensic investigation, the ultimate cause of the fire allegedly was the improper servicing and maintenance of the vehicle and a product defect.
The plaintiff alleges that the defendants failed to design, manufacture, assemble, test, inspect, distribute, sell and service the vehicle so that it did not have an unreasonably dangerous propensity to ignite while being operated under normal conditions and failed to warn customers or recall the vehicle once became aware of the design and manufacturing defects.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks judgment for actual and statutory damages, pre- and post-judgment interest, attorneys' fees, court costs and any such other and further relief to which plaintiff may show itself to be justly entitled. She is represented by Rick Gene Boepple Jr. of Nguyen and Chen LLP in Houston.
Harris County Circuit Court case number 2017-31454