GM Ignition Switch Recall’s Death Toll Reaches 30

General Motors (GM) has created a fund to compensate victims who have either died or were seriously injured due to the faulty design of the ignition switch in certain GM vehicles. So far, 30 death claims have been accepted in connection with the faulty ignition switch recall.

The total number of claims the program has received is 1,580. These claims include 192 death claims, 102 “Category One” injury claims and 1,286 “Category Two” injury claims. A “Category One” injury entails quadriplegia, paraplegia, double amputation or extensive burns. Four of these claims have been accepted by the compensation program. A “Category Two” injury, is any injury that would require a hospital visit within 48 hours of the accident. There have been 27 “Category Two” claims accepted. The deadline to submit a claim is December 31, 2014. The number of claims accepted is expected to grow.

The fund is being directed by Attorney Kenneth Feinberg. Feinberg has been in charge of directing other compensation programs such as the BP Gulf of Mexico oil spill and the September 11 terrorist attacks. We have been following the latest reports regarding GM’s rising death toll.

Defective vehicles can cause serious and sometimes fatal injuries. These vehicles are not only a danger to the occupants of the vehicle but also others on the road. A defect in a vehicle can include: faulty brakes, air bags, seat belts and even the design of the vehicle. For example, a vehicle’s design may enable them to rollover easily such as a SUV or an ATV.

With so many recent recalls, safety is always a concern. If you have been injured or lost a loved one in an accident that you believe was caused by a defect in a vehicle, contact the personal injury attorneys at Berger and Green. It is important to make a claim in these types of incidents so that the defect in your vehicle is made aware of and you can recover damages caused by the negligence of a manufacturer.

Source:

MLive.com, “Approved death claims related to GM ignition switch recall hits 30”