Suit Filed Against Toyota in Carbon Monoxide Death

The keyless ignition system in a Lexus is being blamed for the carbon monoxide poisoning death of a 79-year-old Queens’ attorney reports the NY Daily News.

In February, 2009, the attorney’s companion parked her car in the garage which was attached to the home they shared and accidentally left the engine running.  The next day she was found unconscious on the bedroom floor and her partner was dead from carbon monoxide poisoning.  She survived, but is unable to walk and has difficulty speaking.

The lawsuit against Toyota cites the auto manufacturer for failing to install a “shutdown” switch in the cars – which can be turned on or off at the touch of a button.  The switch would turn off the engine when the car is unoccupied or not touched for a certain amount of time.

The keyless ignition is a nifty feature, but it can be deadly when the engine continues to run even after the driver leaves the vehicle with the key fob which communicates with the car’s computer.  Since the engine runs so quietly, the woman may not have noticed it was still running when she left the garage.

An investigation is still underway in Palm Beach County as to whether or not the August carbon-monoxide death of a 29-year-old woman was also caused by a Lexus left running in her garage.

The Scranton, Pennsylvania attorneys of Munley, Munley & Cartwright have years of experience representing the survivors of wrongful death victims.   For a free consultation of your legal claim throughout the state of Pennsylvania, please submit an online form or call us at: 1-800-318-LAW1.

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