I received a letter this week from Initiative Legal Group LLP and their Stephen Gamber. They are putting together a class action lawsuit against Toyota which claims in their suit that Toyota "failed to disclose that the Prius attained significantly lower fuel economy under real world driving conditions than expected by consumers." It requires no action on my part, but they do make the offer to talk with them about my(our) experiences. They provide an email address and 800 number to do so. Has anyone else received this letter and what is your reaction to it? Based upon my experience chronicled in the thread, "After Service Issue", this may be a good thing.
Funny, I often get better mileage than I expected. Are they suing every other carmaker, too? And the EPA?
I'm suffering from Mesothelioma also. I wonder if I can get double the money! No offense to the lawyers in PC but this is the kind of stuff that kills our society. Lawyers and lobbyists. *note* I'm kidding. I'm not suferring from mesothelioma.
Don't waste your time. The lawyers are just looking for their next paycheck. You'll end up with a check for $0.24 or maybe a worthless coupon.
You can do whatever you wish. But sounds like a loser case to me. First of all, EPA determines mileage. It's always contains the phrasing, your mileage may vary. ??? "Significantly lower fuel economy under real world driving conditions than expected by consumers." ???? Huh? My defense if I was Toyota would be to point to the top of the list owner satisfaction surveys. The Prius get's the best marks possible from Prius owners. If "consumers" were significantly disappointed in the fuel economy you certainly wouldn't have the high scores in owner satisfaction. Sounds to me like an invalid waste of time and money in hopes of something for nothing.
The lawyers are the only ones who benefit from these class action suits. The companies usually settle out of court (and pass along the loss to the customers eventually) and the "victims" usually end up with some worthless coupon or minimal cash amount.
The numbers and statements on that federally required sticker are defined by Congress and the EPA. The manufacturers have no discretion. Toyota is no more guilty than the entire industry, and Congress, and the EPA.
It was for the 2004-2007 Prius which has the inflated EPA mileage rating before the revised 2008 EPA rating.
That being so, I'd suggest getting a group of like-minded consumers around here together, contacting Toyota and offering to testify for the defence. That'll drop some gravel in their gearboxes. It's the same situation this side of the pond. Everyone with two brain cells to rub together knows that the EU mileage (kilometerage?) figures are a work of fiction, but it's illegal for a manufacturer to quote anything else. The letters pages of the motoring press are always filled with idiots bitching that their car doesn't achieve the quoted figures...
I suspect this might be some wanker journalist building a story, not a law firm at all. Sounds like crap to me and if Toyota need a real world driver to dispute the claims if it is real, I am at your service and you only need to pay my costs to attend any hearing. I hate bullshit!!
Certainly the lawyers will pocket the most regardless. But if a class action suit forces a change in a pattern of bad behavior then everyone benefits. That certainly is not the case here nor, probably and unfortunately, in most class-action suits. Must be a slow day for ambulance chasing.
I once bought some cologne that failed to disclose that I would attain significantly fewer women in real world conditions than was suggested by their advertising. Where's my lawsuit?
Are these the same lawyers who represented the woman who tried to sue when she found out The crunchberries in Capn' Crunch with Crunchberries aren't real berries?
