According to The New York Times, General Motors (GM) has recalled nearly 1.4 million cars in the United States, saying that the ignition switch can shut off the car’s engine, electrical system and disable its airbags.
Thirteen people have died due to the defect, a warning in what would become a decade-long failure by GM to address a problem that engineers knew about years ago. GM has been sued, and now faces an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and even the possibility of a criminal investigation. The models involved in the recall include:
- Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5 compact cars model years 2005-2007
- Saturn Ion compact cars from 2003-2007
- Chevy HHR midsized vehicles from 2006-2007
- Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky sports cars from 2006-2007
This recall is very similar to what happened to Toyota and the deadly sudden unintended acceleration problem in their models. Toyota failed to notify the NHTSA and the public of a defect and now faces a federal criminal investigation.
Colson Hicks Eidson partner Lewis S. “Mike” Eidson is a member of the Plaintiff’s Steering Committee for Toyota’s litigation and was involved in efforts to discover how the Toyota vehicles could experience sudden acceleration and suggest design changes to overcome the problem.
A nationally recognized product liability litigator, Eidson was the national co-lead counsel in the Ford Explorer/Firestone tire litigation. He was also involved in the Chrysler Minivan latch case that led to the recall of four million vehicles. In addition, at only 29 years old, he tried and won the first case alleging that the Ford Pinto fuel system was defective.
What Should I Do If My Vehicle Is Part of a Recall?
Throughout our decades of successful experience, we have helped many families recover from catastrophic accidents and set industry-changing precedents that worked to prevent similar injuries from hurting other families. Our cases have taken us across the country and around the world, and we welcome the opportunity to consider your case. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation with our accident lawyers.
Colson Hicks Eidson – Injury Attorneys
Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/03/business/in-general-motors-recalls-inaction-and-trail-of-fatal-crashes.html?emc=eta1&_r=0, http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/05/us-autos-gm-recall-idUSBREA241UI20140305