No limit on compensation for GM ignition recall

If you were injured or a family member was killed due to an ignition switch failure in certain cars made by General Motors, you may be eligible for significant compensation under the payment plan for injury victims recently released by the Detroit automaker. GM has publicly admitted that problems with the ignition switch on some care models caused 13 deaths and 54 crashes, but the actual number is speculated to be much greater.

Under the compensation plan, victims may file claims beginning August 1, 2014. Attorneys with The Cochran Firm, D.C. are actively investigating legal issues related to recalled GM vehicles with ignition switch problems. If you were injured or a family member was killed due to an ignition switch failure in a GM car, please contact us to receive a free, confidential case evaluation.

Even drivers who were intoxicated during a crash may be eligible to file a GM ignition switch claim, but the burden will be on the victim to prove an ignition switch problem caused the accident. Under the plan guidelines, there will be no cap on the amount of payments.

Under the GM payment plan, the statute of limitations will be extended for personal injury and death claims related to ignition switch defects until a decision on the claim is made or the victim rejects an offer to settle.

What are the requirements for filing a GM ignition switch payment claim?

In order to be eligible for compensation under the ignition switch payment plan, claimants must meet the following requirements:

• Physically injured in a car accident or a legal representative of someone who died or was injured in an accident
• Claimant must have been the driver, passenger, pedestrian, or occupant of another vehicle involving an accident that involved an eligible GM vehicle.
• Eligible vehicles include the Chevy Cobalt 2005-07, Chevy HHR 2006-07, Pontiac G4 2005-06, Pontiac G5 2007, Pontiac Solstice 2006-07, Saturn Ion 2003-07, Saturn Sky 2007. An ignition switch repair must not have been performed prior to the accident.
• If an ignition switch repair occurred, the switch must have been replaced by a dealer or independent service center with an ignition switch with the part number 10392423.
• The airbag did not deploy during the accident and/or the seatbelt pretensioners did not deploy during the car accident.
• Three types of claims are eligible:
  • Death
  • Category One Claims: quadriplegic injury, paraplegic injury, double amputation, permanent brain damage requiring continuous home medical assistance, pervasive burns encompassing a substantial portion of the body
  • Category Two Claims: injury that, within 48 hours of the accident, required overnight hospitalization of one or more nights

To file a GM ignition switch compensation claim, you will need medical records documentation. The team of accident and product liability attorneys at The Cochran Firm, D.C. are experienced in procuring medical records and building a case file for injury victims. If you or someone you love was injured in an accident involving a recalled GM vehicle, please contact us for a free case evaluation. Because there is a strict time limit to filing a GM ignition switch payment claim and it requires time to procure records, draft documents, and build a case file, we recommend contacting us at your earliest convenience.