More than 300 deaths linked to recalled GM cars

April 16, 2014 (Press-News.org) There have been several news stories recently about faulty ignition switches in General Motors (GM) vehicles, such as Chevy Cobalts manufactured from 2005 to 2010, as well as Saturn Ions made from 2003 to 2006. Keys can fall out of the ignition, causing the vehicle to lose their power steering and brakes. The engines shut down completely, and this can leave the motorists in a very vulnerable position.

According to GM, the ignition problems in the vehicles have been connected to at least 13 deaths in motor vehicle accidents. However, U.S. safety regulators have recorded 303 deaths in 1.6 million compact cars recalled last month by GM. Further, several accidents are being re-examined to learn if they were caused due to the ignition failures.

Hearings have been held by Congress to determine when GM first discovered the problems. It has been learned that GM was actually aware of the issue when it was first testing the Saturn Ion in 2001. In 2004, prior to the introduction of the Chevy Cobalt, engineers even suggested making changes to the ignition system, but GM did not follow through, citing both costs and time. In 2006, some changes were made, but the manufacturer did not list a new part number with the new switches, which has led some to speculate that GM was trying to conceal the problem.

After countless reports of these crashes, GM has finally initiated a recall that would fix the vehicles with the ignition problems. However, many of these vehicles are no longer with their original owners. It might be very difficult for the manufacturer to communicate with the current owners, meaning that some of the problems may not be resolved by the recall. Those who do not get the vehicles fixed could find themselves being involved in one of these accidents.

Sadly, had GM initiated this recall back when they first discovered the defective ignition issues, numerous lives could have been saved. Families would have been spared the pain of learning about the company's reluctance to deal with known issues.

If you believe that your accident was caused due to a faulty ignition switch, you should speak to an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible. Your attorney will be able to perform the necessary reviews to learn more about the performance of the vehicle leading up to the crash.

Once the cause of the accident has been established, your attorney can pursue claims on your behalf. Should you receive a settlement offer, you will be able to ask questions about the offer's terms and conditions. This will allow you to determine the approach that is in your best interests, which may include a trial, if necessary.

Article provided by Simmons Law Firm, LLC
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