US Judge Orders Toyota To Not Destroy Or Alter Car Crash Documents

Toyota Motor Corp., its units, lawyers and any other employees were ordered by a U.S. judge to preserve all documents about the “crashworthiness” of its vehicles after the carmaker was accused of destroying lawsuit evidence.

“The court finds an immediate threat of irreparable harm in that, under the allegations, a threat exists that evidence material to this case would be destroyed or altered,” U.S. District Judge T. John Ward in Marshall, Texas, wrote yesterday.

Ward’s order stems from a federal lawsuit filed in July in Los Angeles by a former in-house attorney for Toyota. Dimitrios Biller claims Toyota destroyed documents that should have been retained as possible evidence in personal injury claims. A Texas lawyer representing families of crash victims who’d resolved their product liability claims with the company sued Toyota after Biller made his claims.



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theoptimisticpessimist - 10/1/2009 5:20:09 PM

+8 Boost

Why do the need to "destroy or alter". Welcome to Toyota week of PR nightmares.

Joe_Limon - 10/1/2009 5:46:01 PM

+6 Boost

Not only that, but why do they need to be ordered not to destroy them?

Lemonade - 10/1/2009 6:11:04 PM

-2 Boost

WOW 009, you really are something special. The internet traffic on this thread alone should be phenominal by the end of the day.

XYZZ - 10/1/2009 10:07:33 PM

-2 Boost

for all you Assinine ASSuming Jerky Jump to Conclusions critics: "...a former in-house attorney for Toyota. Dimitrios Biller CLAIMS Toyota destroyed documents..." [emphasis added]

it's not unheard of for former employees to have grudges and make wild claims.

Joe_Limon - 10/1/2009 11:45:40 PM

+4 Boost

Why are you avoiding the point of this article?

agent507 - 10/2/2009 3:29:53 AM

+3 Boost

In short: The higher you raise, the deeper you will fall.

Recalls, bad PR, and declining sales numbers, I think the new number one is struggeling a bit at the moment.