When car companies are sued, it?s often in another league completed, and this is true once more with a current federal court trial beginning this week. A New York court will determine just how responsible General Motors? is for hundreds of personal injury cases currently stuck in court.
GM Knew of Defect, But Delayed Issuing Recall
The court trial stems from a recent disclosure issue; GM continued to sell its cars even after discovering that there was an ignition switch defect in several of its models, including the popular Chevy Cobalt. The defect can cause cars to stall, preventing power steering and also turning off the car?s airbags. This particular trial occurred after a driver and a passenger in a 2007 Saturn were injured after the driver stepped on the brakes while driving over an icy bridge, yet the car did not stop.
GM Claims Ice at Fault, Not Vehicle
GM has responded to their personal injury lawyer?s assertions by saying the accident did not cause any permanent injuries, and the company plans to present police officer testimony that the reason for numerous crashes in the area at that time was excessive speeding on ice, rather than any mechanical issue.
Consumers Rarely Respond Immediately to Recall Notices
Though companies like GM can issue recalls, the problems with getting consumers to actually bring in their vehicles have been fairly well documented. Even though recalls are paid for by the company, many consumers will ignore the message or see it as something they can put off for weeks or months, since bringing in their car to the shop still involves setting up an appointment and using up personal time. Just because a recall has occurred, does not mean that personal injury lawyers cannot seek compensation for their clients. In fact, personal injury lawyers are often involved in personal injury lawsuit settlements like these.
Outcome of This Case Could Have Large Impact on Future Cases
Recalls for the defect have affected approximately 30 million vehicles on the road today, and this case has the potential to affect the outcomes of 1,700 wrongful death and personal injury cases that are on hold at the time. This past September, GM paid about $600 million to settle 399 previous wrongful death and personal injury claims. Personal injury settlements are fairly routine, with only a small percentage of cases actually going to trial. Car accident settlements are used not only to help plaintiffs and their families move forward; they also serve as an important warning to car manufacturers: ignore the risk to consumer safety, and pay the price.
