A judicial panel has chosen Los Angeles federal court to consolidate dozens of lawsuits filed in the aftermath of Toyota's recall of millions of vehicles over sudden unexpected acceleration problems.
The decision Friday by the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation affects more than 200 lawsuits against Toyota around the country. It means a single judge will hear important pretrial motions for all cases.
Some lawsuits were filed by Toyota owners claiming their vehicles have lost value. Others seek damages from Toyota for injuries or deaths attributed to instances of sudden acceleration.
Toyota has recalled about 8 million vehicles, including about 6 million in the U.S, over acceleration problems and Prius brake issues.
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