su its ▁bl aming ▁the ▁sudden ▁acceleration ▁problem ▁on ▁the ▁electronic ▁thro tt le ▁control ▁system ▁( ET C ) ▁and ▁alleg ing ▁Toy ota ' s ▁neg lig ence . ▁As ▁of ▁February ▁ 2 6 , ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁there ▁were ▁at ▁least ▁ 7 2 ▁law su its ▁pending ▁in ▁U . S . ▁federal ▁courts ▁against ▁Toy ota ▁or ▁its ▁subs idi aries ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 9 - 1 0 ▁rec alls . ▁ ▁Pla int iffs ▁are ▁seeking ▁dam ages ▁for ▁personal ▁injury ▁or ▁wrong ful ▁death ▁resulting ▁from ▁acc idents ▁in ▁the ▁defect ive ▁Toy ota ▁vehicles ▁( in ▁other ▁words , ▁product ▁li ability ), ▁loss ▁of ▁res ale ▁value , ▁or ▁a ▁drop ▁in ▁the ▁value ▁of ▁shares ▁held ▁by ▁Toy ota ▁share hold ers . ▁Toy ota ▁has ▁retained ▁the ▁law ▁firm ▁of ▁Al ston ▁& ▁Bird ▁to ▁defend ▁most ▁of ▁these ▁cases . ▁ ▁On ▁April ▁ 9 , ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Jud icial ▁P anel ▁on ▁Mult id istrict ▁Lit ig ation ▁ordered ▁cons olid ation ▁of ▁all ▁federal ▁actions ▁into ▁the ▁Central ▁District ▁of ▁California ▁before ▁Judge ▁James ▁V . ▁Sel na ▁for ▁all ▁pre tri al ▁mot ions ▁and ▁discovery . ▁In ▁doing ▁so , ▁the ▁P anel ▁noted ▁that ▁" th ese ▁cases ▁have ▁attract ed ▁an ▁unusual ▁amount ▁of ▁public ity ▁to ▁the ▁P anel ’ s ▁work ." ▁ ▁Although