GM Concedes 13 Fatalities Related to Faulty Ignitions; Number Likely Much Higher
GM has stated that the company is aware of 13 fatalities tied to the faulty ignition switches that have led to massive recalls of over 25 million vehicles, including:
- 1997-2005 Chevrolet Malibu
- 1998-2002 Oldsmobile Intrigue
- 1999-2004 Oldsmobile Aero
- 199-2005 Pontiac Grand Am
- 2000-2005 Chevrolet Impala
- 2000-2005 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
- 2004-2008 Pontiac Grand Prix
- 2004-2006 Cadillac SRX
- 2013-2014 Cadillac CTS
Actual Number of Fatalities Hard to Pinpoint
According to one attorney, who represents plaintiffs suing GM, the number of deaths might actually be hundreds, or maybe even thousands. He said at least 100 deaths have already been brought to the attention of plaintiffs’ lawyers involved in the GM cases, and the total number of fatalities could be close to 5000, which includes passengers in other vehicles involved in collisions with GM vehicles with faulty ignition switches. Although the number is subjective and there is no way to prove it definitively, that attorney calculated it using the total number of highway deaths occurring since the defective vehicles became available.
The Center for Auto Safety sent a letter to regulators in March 2014 stating that crash data indicates that 303 deaths were the result of the defective ignition switches, which slip out of position and cause vehicles to stall, putting the driver at risk for a collision. If the engine loses power and an accident subsequently occurs, the airbags will not deploy, seat belts will not work properly, and power steering and power brakes will fail to function.
In June 2014, Reuters conducted an analysis of the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) a national database of crash information submitted by local law enforcement agencies. According to Reuters, the data suggested that at least 74 people died in faulty ignition related accidents, and also suggested that such accidents happened at a higher rate in GM cars than in competitors’ models.
If you have suffered a GM ignition switch event and experienced injuries as a result we might can help. Contact the attorneys of Childers, Schlueter & Smith for a free case evaluation and consultation to learn more about your legal rights and options. Our experienced product liability injury lawyers will work closely with you and fight to make things right.