As more drivers in California and across the US become aware of the GM recall impacting millions of vehicles, more lawsuits are being filed against the automaker over injuries sustained in recalled vehicles. Multiple recalls have followed the initial GM ignition switch recall, and drivers need to know what legal rights they have if they have been injured.
Young Man Dies in Crash Weeks Before 21st Birthday in GM Recall Vehicle
In one of the recent lawsuits surrounding the GM recall, family members of a deceased driver are asserting that GM concealed information relating to the ignition switch defect. The deceased driver was driving in a 2007 Pontiac G5 while traveling on an isolated Virginia road and suddenly crashed into a tree. The Pontiac G5 is one of the many vehicles listed in the ignition switch recall. The failure of the ignition switch causes the entire car to shut down. When the car shuts down, the individual is unable to use power steering, air bags and power brakes. In the case of this young man, investigators dealt with a mysterious accident that left few facts. One of the few facts available to investigators was that the air bags in the driver’s car failed to deploy even after he crashed into a tree.
The Mounting Pressure on GM
The GM recall has triggered the increased scrutiny by various government entities. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) continues to investigate GM and its failure to release a recall of the defective components when it first realized that the components were defective. The NHTSA has issued its own public statements about the GM recall. In a recent statement, NHTSA spokesman Jim Cain stated that the NHTSA believes that additional deaths are likely to result from the ignition switch GM recall. The NHTSA says that this number is unknown, but it believes that the number exceeds the 13 lives that have already been lost as a result of the GM recall.
The Failure of Airbags in Chevy Cobalts and Saturn Ions
Other non-profit organizations have also studied the defective parts associated with vehicles like the Chevy Cobalt. The Centre for Auto Safety has discovered that over 300 deaths may be linked by the failure of airbags in the Cobalt and Saturn Ion cars. California drivers who have one of the vehicles recalled by GM should avoid driving the vehicle until a new vehicle or the company has provided parts to repair the current vehicle.
Contact Attorney Group for California for Help with Your Case
If you or a loved one has suffered injuries resulting from an accident in a vehicle related to a GM recall, consider contacting Attorney Group for California. We are here to help answer your questions, and connect you with an affiliated attorney if you decide to pursue a claim. Contact us today for a free consultation on your legal rights.
