If you have been reading the news lately, you may be familiar with the various recalls that the car-manufacturing giant GM has made in the past year. The death toll in the GM recalls started off below 10, hovered around 13 for awhile, but now has been increased to 19, according to a recent report by the Daily Record.
The Recall
The GM recalls have been based on a number of faulty parts that were used to manufacture several of the company’s most popular models, including the Chevy Cobalt and Saturn Ion. Often, what would happen is that the car would shut down while being driven, leaving the driver with no control of the vehicle. Unfortunately, many of these incidents resulted in serious injury or death.
Initially, after the first round of recalls, the death toll stood at 13 for several months. However, the man hired by GM to keep track of all the claims against the company recently told reporters that the official death toll is at 19 and may go higher from there. GM has currently set aside $400 million to pay victims and their families, but that number may increase to $600 million as the number of potential plaintiffs increases.
The total number of cars recalled is currently at 2.6 million. Some lawmakers believe that the total number of deaths relating to the recall may actually be around 100 or more.
Claims for Injuries
In addition to the wrongful death claims, there are hundreds of claims against the company for serious injury caused by the faulty mechanisms. Thus far, there have been 320 claims of compensation due to injuries. Of those:
- 12 have already been approved for compensation by GM;
- 58 are in the “most serious injury” category, which means the injury complained of is an amputation, permanent brain damage, loss of use of limbs, or pervasive burns; and
- 262 are for less serious injuries that still required hospitalization within 48 hours of the accident.
The deadline for filing a claim is December 31 of this year. The auto manufacturer expects that the number of claims will continue to steadily rise until that date.
Have You Been Injured in a GM Car Accident?
If you have recently been in an accident that involved one or more GM vehicles, it may be that you are entitled to monetary damages as a result of your accident. Even if you were not the one driving the vehicle, it may be that the driver of the vehicle lost control due to one of the defective parts. If that is the case, GM may be responsible not only to the driver, but also to you. To learn more about the product liability laws that allow for the innocent victims of faulty mechanical parts to recover for their injuries, contact a dedicated Maryland accident attorney as soon as possible. Call 410-654-3600 today to set up a free initial consultation with a knowledgeable personal injury attorney.
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