After a GM ignition switch recall, a number of individuals and families have filed lawsuits against the automotive giant. One such GM lawsuit was filed by a family from New Hampshire which claimed that the defect that led to the GM ignition switch recall first led to their daughter’s death.

According to the complaint, plaintiff Jenny G.’s 19-year-old daughter was killed in a car crash in 2012, years before the GM ignition switch recall. The GM lawsuit alleges that defective ignition switch prevented the 2012 Chevrolet Impala’s airbags from deploying during the crash, which led to her ultimately fatal injuries.

In August 2015, Jenny filed a wrongful death lawsuit against GM in response. The lawsuit was filed on multiple counts, including strict liability, failure to warn, negligence and violation of the New Hampshire Consumer Protection Act. The defendants in the suit are, of course, General Motors, as well as the dealer who sold them the car in Queen City.

The civil trial in this lawsuit is set for September 2018. This was decided by a Belknap County Superior Court judge who wanted to allow both parties to take into account new materials in the ongoing multidistrict litigation in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

GM Ignition Switch Recall

So what exactly is this defective ignition switch problem, and who does it affect? Essentially, the defective switch can slip out of place if under too much pressure (such as a particularly heavy set of keys, which is not very much pressure at all).

This can cause a number of problems, as one might expect. Engines can stall, and the power to the brakes, steering, and airbags can be cut off.

The lack of steering as well as important safety features places drivers and passengers, as well as others on the road, at serious risk. Consumers have reported a variety of serious injuries from car accidents attributed to the ignition switch defect, including loss of limbs, brain damage, serious burns and other injuries.

So far, the GM ignition switch defect has been linked to 124 deaths and 275 injuries. The serious nature of this defect led to a GM ignition switch recall back in 2014, affecting around 2.6 million vehicles.

Vehicles affected by the GM ignition switch recall include but are not limited to the following:

• All 2005-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt
• 2007-2010 Pontiac G5
• 2003-2007 Saturn Ion
• 2006-2011 Chevrolet HHR
• 2006-2010 Pontiac Solstice
• 2007-2010 Saturn Sky

Filing a GM Ignition Switch Recall Lawsuit

GM acknowledged the defective ignition switch in 2014, and began recalling 2.6 million of the vehicles affected. So far, the company has already paid billions in penalties and settlements over this defect.

GM has acknowledged that some of its employees were aware of the ignition switch defect for years before the company recalled the vehicles, placing consumers at serious risk.

If you or someone you love were injured in a GM vehicle car accident because of a defect with the ignition switch, you may be able to file a GM ignition switch lawsuit. An accident involving a defective ignition switch would have shut down the car and prevented airbags from deploying, which could cause significant injuries.