Recent revelations about the ongoing GM recall of over one million cars highlights the important role attorneys can play in ensuring consumer safety.
Manufacturers have a duty to ensure that their products are reasonably safe for consumers and free from any dangerous defects, and automobile manufacturers are no different. When a car manufacturer discovers that one of their cars may have a potentially dangerous flaw, they should warn consumers and recall the affected cars to replace the defective part at no cost to the consumer.
Several federal agencies such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) work to ensure that car companies issue the appropriate recalls to keep motorists safe. However, despite their best efforts, these agencies are not always successful in monitoring manufacturers, identifying dangerous car defects, and enforcing recalls.
Products Liability Lawsuit Uncovers Fatal GM Ignition Switch Defect
While the underlying cause of a car accident is not always readily identifiable, it is the job of the plaintiff’s attorney to conduct a thorough investigation to determine the true cause of the accident and help prove any negligence that has occurred. One attorney’s, pursuit of a client’s crash claim led him to discover a dangerous defect in millions of GM vehicles.
When 29-year-old Brooke died in a car accident, her parents struggled to understand why their daughter had lost control of her 2005 Chevy Cobalt since she was a safe driver who was not speeding at the time of the accident. They hired an attorney to investigate and help determine if someone might be at fault.
Their attorney hired a mechanic to assist him with a thorough inspection of the Cobalt and they made two unusual discoveries: the key was out of position and the black box data showed the engine had suddenly shut off a few seconds before the crash. This evidence indicated that the ignition switch in the car was defective.
Even worse, when the attorney started questioning GM employees about this issue he uncovered further evidence that GM knew about the defect and had attempted to cover it up without properly issuing a recall. More recent GM ignition switches that had the same part number as the Cobalt’s switch have different, safer properties. Though GM denied ever knowing about the switch defect, the company agreed to compensate Brook’s parents in a confidential settlement. Additionally, GM has recalled over 1 million vehicles due to the ignition switch likely because the law firm uncovered this issue.
Speak with an Attorney Today
This lawsuit is an example of how lawyers, in addition to obtaining compensation for victims, can play a larger role in society by exposing wrongdoing on the part of manufacturers to help keep the public safe and even save lives. If you have been injured by a of defective or dangerous product, do not hesitate to call a products liability attorney at the office of Lopez McHugh today for help.
