The GM airbag recall lawsuit is a class-action lawsuit brought by the families of over thirty-four people who died or were severely injured due to malfunctioning airbags manufactured by GM. GM stopped production of the faulty ignition switches and other redesigned vehicles on February 28, 2014, but the company refused to install these new units in recalled cars sold during this time period for fear of them exploding. However, many people have been able to get recalled cars put back into operation with the help of an attorney.
GM Ignition Recall and Lawsuit
The GM ignition recall issued Saturday is part of the largest automotive recall in history. The ignition switch can shut the engine off while it’s still running, while a driver is driving. This can cause an accident resulting in safety problems and even death. When it was discovered, GM admitted that eleven people were killed as a result of this defective engine system already.
What is the GM ignition recall?
The GM ignition recall is a class-action lawsuit filed against General Motors. The lawsuit claims that some vehicles have a dangerous flaw where the ignition switch may unexpectedly turn off, disabling many of the airbags and in some cases air conditioning. This can cause a driver to become disengaged from their driving quest or disoriented and lose control of their vehicle. Additionally, it has been reported that this defect led to many accidents causing 18 deaths and 275 injuries every year in 2014 alone.
Is it time to sue GM?
GM announced that 1.4 million cars were affected by over-inflated airbags to which GM has denied liability. If your car was affected by a defective auto, then you can receive compensation from the class action lawsuit too.
GM is recalling an estimated 35 million vehicles in America for airbags with the potent mix of propellant chemicals ammonium nitrate and methyl tertiary butyl ether, that may inadvertently ignite. This has resulted in more than 420 injuries, 32 deaths, and 47 crashes so far. The company says it’s possible that these chemicals could be harmful if exposed to fire or a spark without being properly diluted.
How might this impact you?
If you have a car or truck with an airbag installed, you may qualify for the class action lawsuit if the wheel sensor is not in proper working order. Many GM cars were equipped with defective wheel sensors that could burst during a crash, potentially leading to paralysis and death. These defective sensors may also prevent airbags from deploying properly. If you think your car has this problem, contact GM immediately.
What are your options for a lawsuit?
If you’ve been the victim of a General Motors (GM) airbag failure, there are steps that you can take to seek legal recourse. First, it’s important to determine if your airbag has failed in the same way as many customers have reported. If so, then you may be eligible for a recall class action lawsuit. There is also additional federal litigation regarding airbag parts being defective which might be interesting to pursue if your accident is particularly horrific. For more information and to learn what courses of action you should consider, contact a GM wrongful death lawyer.
How long will it take to get a settlement?
Cars manufactured by GM have been recalled in the last two years for defective airbags. These defective airbags, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission and Attorney General’s office, can malfunction and cause fires, injuries and even death. Even though these airbags were recalled nine times since 2000, the class action lawsuit has taken something up to 3-4 years to settle.