NHTSA Complaint #10607858 — 2011 TOYOTA COROLLA

ON APRIL 19TH, 2014, AT ABOUT 1:30 PM, MYSELF AND MY WIFE LEFT OUR FRIEND'S HOME IN LOS ALTOS HILLS, CA. AS WE LEFT THE DRIVEWAY AT ABOUT 5 MPH ON BAKER LN, THE CAR WENT INTO A SUDDEN, UNCONTROLLABLE ACCELERATION MODE, REACHING SPEEDS 50 - 60 MPH. WITHIN ABOUT 1000 - 1500 FT WE APPROACHED A THE INTERSECTION OF BAKER LN AND PURISSIMA RD., ALL THE WHILE DESPERATELY TRYING TO PRESS THE BRAKE, APPLYING HAND BRAKE AND SHIFTING TO NEUTRAL. AGAINST THIS SUDDEN BURST OF ACCELERATION, THE CAR WENT OFF THE ROAD AT THAT INTERSECTION, AND FELL INTO A DITCH AND STOPPED BY A TREE TRUNK. BOTH OF US WERE INJURED WITH MULTIPLE INTERNAL/ EXTERNAL FRACTURES, BUT WE WERE CONSCIOUS; MY WIFE IN THE PASSENGER SEAT HAD MORE GRIEVOUS INJURIES, INCLUDING AN OPEN WOUND OF BROKEN BONE IN ANKLE AND SEVERE SPINAL CORD INJURIES, AND WAS SCREAMING WITH PAIN. ONCE I COLLECTED MYSELF, I CALLED 911 AND THE FD/ PARAMEDICS RESPONDED AND WE WERE HAULED FROM THE DITCH BY CUTTING OPEN THE CAR DOORS. WE WERE TRANSPORTED TO STANFORD MEDICAL CENTER IN PALO ALTO, AFTER WHICH WE WERE SHIFTED TO OUR HMO, AFTER ABOUT 10 DAYS IN ICU. I AM NOW DISCHARGED AND REHABILITATING/ GETTING PHYSICAL THERAPY AT HOME, WHILE MY WIFE IS STILL AT A REHAB CENTER, OVER 10 WEEKS AFTER THE ACCIDENT. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE WEATHER, VISIBILITY AND ROAD CONDITIONS WERE EXCELLENT; BOTH OF US HAD OUR SEAT BELTS FIRMLY IN PLACE; NO CELL PHONE WAS BEING USED; I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND OFF THE ACCELERATOR ALL THE TIME; AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AS EXPECTED. SINCE BOTH OF US WERE CRITICALLY INJURED, WE COULD NOT INITIATE/ PURSUE ANY LEGAL ACTION AGAINST TOYOTA AND SURRENDERED THE VEHICLE (WHICH WAS TOTALED) TO MY INSURER, FARMERS. WE STRONGLY FEEL THAT TOYOTA IS FULLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEFECTIVE ACCELERATION SYSTEM AND CAUSING SERIOUS BODILY INJURY AND MENTAL TRAUMA FOR BOTH OF US. WE SHOULD BE COMPENSATED BY TOYOTA. *TR