General Motors Ignition Switch Litigation~2 min read
Since 2014, General Motors has recalled about 12.8 million vehicles because of faulty ignition switches. Over 11 million of those vehicles are believed to be in the United States. The issue of the ignition switches pivots on product liability law involving a mechanical part in the switch that can accidentally turn off the engine of an affected vehicle. When the defect arises, the vehicle’s engine shuts off. Sometimes collisions would occur because of loss of control of the vehicle as a result of the defect. You might be driving an affected vehicle without knowing it, and as a public service, the personal injury attorneys at Springer & Lyle want you to be aware of this ignition switch defect in case you haven’t been notified of it.
General Motors was aware of the ignition switch defect, and even held meetings addressing it as early as 2005. To date, over 400 deaths and thousands of injuries are believed to have been directly or indirectly linked to it. Three common results of the defect are that when the defective ignition shuts a vehicle’s engine down, the driver loses his or her power steering and brakes, and air bags don’t deploy if the vehicle crashes into something.
When a safety defect in a motor vehicle becomes known, the manufacturer has a duty to correct it. If it fails to do so, and a user of the product is injured or killed, the manufacturer might be held liable for damages that include but aren’t limited to:
- Past and future medical bills
- Past and future lost earnings
- Past and future pain and suffering
- Permanent disability, impairment and disfigurement
- Funeral and burial expenses
If you or somebody close to you is believed to have been injured or killed as a result of a faulty General Motors ignition switch, contact us at Springer & Lyle for a free consultation and case evaluation. Cases are pending against General Motors on the defective ignition switches across the country. There are time limits for filing your claim, so don’t sit on your rights. We’re experienced, aggressive, and successful personal injury lawyers. We’ll give you straight talk and straight answers.
