Lawsuit That Brought GM Ignition Switch Defect To Light Settled For Second Time


The lawsuit filed by the family of a Georgia woman who died in a 2010 car accident that spurred the recall of 2.5 million General Motors vehicles with faulty ignition switches has been settled out of court.

The Associated Press reports that terms of the settlement, which are the result of a second suit levied by the family, were not released.


A lawyer for the family, who first filed the suit against GM in 2011, hired engineering experts who eventually discovered the ignition switch issues in several smaller model vehicles.


According to a deposition provided by the family’s lawyer, a GM engineer experienced the problem – in which the ignition switch could unexpectedly shift out of the run position, disabling safety devices and increasing the risk of a crash – while test driving one of the vehicles in 2004.


Initially, the family had agreed to settle their lawsuit with GM for $5 million, but rescinded the agreement last year; instead opting to file a second suit alleging that the company concealed the defect and withheld vital information from the family.


To date, GM has recalled millions of compact cars – including the Chevrolet Cobalt and Saturn Ion– that have been linked to at least 64 deaths and 108 serious injuries.


Lawsuit that showed GM hid ignition switch problem settled [The Associated Press]




by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist

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