Foreign complaints against Toyota dismissed by US judge

A US federal judge on Monday dismissed class-action lawsuits filed by foreign consumers against Toyota over sudden-acceleration problems.

US District Judge James Selna gave the ruling in an Orange County court near Los Angeles.

But Selna gave attorneys representing 41 plaintiffs from 13 countries another two months to amend their case.

Selna said the attorneys should offer more proof related to their claims.

Selna also refused to lift an order prohibiting the foreign plaintiffs from being part of the domestic lawsuits, meaning the attorneys cannot share their discovery.

The class-action lawsuits filed across the United States allege that Toyota failed to install acceleration override systems, as the company's competitors did.

Toyota has blamed the problems on sticky accelerator pedals and poorly fitted floor mats.

The foreign plaintiffs are also alleging Toyota violated racketeering laws by conspiring to keep the public from finding out about mechanical or electronic problems that caused the vehicles to suddenly accelerate.

Like the domestic class-action lawsuits, the foreign plaintiffs also allege some consumers lost value on their vehicles while others suffered wrongful death or injury because of the sudden- acceleration problems.

Attorney Monica R. Kelly, who represents the foreign plaintiffs, said she will argue in the updated complaint that the California court is the best forum for the class-action lawsuits because so much progress has already been made here and it would be inefficient to have each case handled in various places all over the globe.

"We're saying the US is a better forum," Kelly said after Monday's hearing.

Toyota attorney Lisa Gilford argued that the claims from outside the United States should be heard in the country where the consumer lives.

"We do not see how they overcome the fundamental problem that these claims should be brought in the plaintiffs' home countries, not in the US," Toyota said in a statement.

"While Toyota's US entities were named as defendants, they have little connection to the foreign plaintiffs' claims, as the vast majority of the Toyota models in question are neither designed, nor manufactured, nor sold in the US," the statement said.

"In fact, Toyotas are manufactured in at least 26 countries worldwide, and more than 170 corporate entities market and sell Toyotas in at least 170 countries."