Ignition Switch Injury Claims Rise, GM Offers Vehicle Recall Repair Incentives

The deadline to file a personal injury claim with General Motors’ ignition switch settlement fund is the end of this year – December 31st, 2014. The number of personal injury claims involving GM’s 10-year delayed vehicle recall for faulty ignition switches has consistently grown, and recently, the company saw a small spike in the number of claims filed.

On Friday, October 31st, the ignition switch settlement fund saw 4 additional wrongful death claims, and 174 new claims for less-serious personal injuries, which had no lasting damage but which required hospitalization at the time. Attorney Kenneth Feinberg and his team have accepted 29 wrongful death claims, and offered compensation to 25 personal injury or wrongful death claimants so far. None of the claimants has, so far, rejected offers of compensation for their ignition switch-related personal injury or wrongful death claims.

General Motors, however, expressed concern that their vehicle recall information has not reached enough drivers, and that faulty ignition switches are not being replaced quickly enough to keep GM owners safe. GM is now offering $25 gift cards to various companies, like Applebee’s, Starbucks, or Bass Pro Shops, as an incentive to drivers to check vehicle recall lists, and have their ignition switches replaced if their vehicle is listed as under safety recall.

“This is simply designed to encourage as many people as possible to get their vehicles repaired as quickly as possible,” said James R. Cain, a spokesman for G.M.

“Dealership service centers across the country have been adding staff, expanding service hours and remaining open on holidays to get the work done,” said Bill Fox, vice chairman of the National Automobile Dealers Association and a General Motors dealer in upstate New York.

Some consumers were initially frustrated with GM because the company had a shortage of replacement ignition switches, making timely repairs difficult. The automotive company says that they have now resolved that shortage, and GM owners should come in for ignition switch replacements as soon as possible.

However, legislators continue to criticize GM leadership for taking a weak stance on the faulty ignition switch and delayed vehicle recall problem. Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat, said that GM should assist the government in a ban on unrepaired cars.

“There’s no substitute for telling drivers to park these cars because they are fraught with danger,” Mr. Blumenthal said. “G.M. should issue the kind of strong, stern warning that should get attention. There’s no substitute for that.”

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

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. Contact us today at (803) 252-4800.