Recent GM Vehicle Recall Leads to Congressional Investigation

The House Energy and Commerce Committee has launched an investigation into the vehicle recall that covers 1.6 million older General Motors vehicles.

In early February, General Motors issued a vehicle recall that covered 778,000 older model vehicles after complaints regarding ignition switch problems in some Chevys and Pontiacs. Later that month, the vehicle recall was expanded to 1.4 million older model cars and SUVs after the company stated that the problem had caused at least 31 front impact crashes and 13 deaths.

The investigation will focus on whether or not the automaker or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration missed “something that could have flagged these problems sooner,” Representative Fred Upton, the panel’s chairman.

“If the answer is yes, we must learn how and why this happened, and then determine whether this system of reporting and analyzing complaints that Congress created to save lives is being implemented and working as the law intended,” the Michigan representative added.

“We are fully cooperating with NHTSA and will do so with the Committee, too,” GM spokesman Greg Martin said in an e-mail. “We welcome the opportunity to help both parties have a full understanding of the facts.”

Reportedly, GM employees knew about the ignition defect as early as 2004. The problem came to the company’s notice when the 2oo5 Cobalt lost engine power because the key moved out of the “run” position. GM employees were able to replicate the problem in tests.

The NHTSA did not take action on the problem until 2007.

Because the problem spans about ten years, there are already personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits being filed because of the vehicle recall delay. A pediatric nurse in Georgia was killed in an accident caused by a faulty ignition switch. In the 2011 trial, a GM employee put together a deposition that they would look into the problem. However, a vehicle recall was not issued until this year, 2014.

“It was a known and specific defect and there was a point of time you can point to when it should have been fixed,” said Corpus Christi lawyer Robert Hilliard, who is representing three victims and their families.

The Strom Law Firm Can Help with Defective Products and Vehicle Recall Cases

To protect yourself and your family, it’s important to know what products have been recalled because they are defective or unsafe. Federal agencies such as the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and the CPSC (U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission) frequently issue recalls for medical devices, drugs, and products that may be harmful to consumers.

If you have experienced a problem with a defective product in your automobile, especially if a defective part has led to an auto accident or personal injury, and a proper vehicle recall notice has not been issued, you may be entitled to compensation. The attorneys at the Strom Law Firm can help. We can help you with complicated auto insurance claims, and make sure you receive the compensation you deserve to help you with lost income and medical bills. Our attorneys are licensed to practice in South Carolina, Georgia, and New York. We offer free, confidential consultations to discuss the facts of your case, so contact us today at (803) 252-4800.