JPML Mulling Consolidation of GM Ignition Switch Lawsuits

There are a mounting number of General Motors ignition switch recall class action lawsuits, many spurred by the auto maker’s acknowledgement that millions of vehicles may temporarily turn off with little stress on the key, and a federal panel will soon consider whether or not to consolidate those cases under the purview of a single judge.

It is important to note that multidistrict litigation (MDL), or mass tort, is not quite the same as a class action lawsuit in that not all plaintiffs join the same GM lawsuit. Rather, were the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation to order consolidation, it would simplify the pre-trial processes while still allowing each class or individual plaintiff to seek their own damages. It also brings more legal experts to bear on similar cases where there might not be as much of an interest in individual actions. The hearing is set for May 29 in Chicago.

However, at least one federal judge begged off more stringent actions against the auto maker regarding the GM ignition switch recall, when Judge Nelva Gonzalez Ramos deferred to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on whether or not the cars should be taken off the road. Still, questions from GM recall class action lawsuits and other parties are mounting.

That includes the same NHTSA which is now hanging a $7,000 per day fine on the automaker that began on April 3. While General Motors had argued that the substantial number of documents should allow them to continue on a rolling schedule, NHTSA General Counsel O. Kevin Vincent argued that a questionnaire issued weeks ago included simple questions and as a result, “it is deeply troubling that two months after recalling the vehicles, GM is unwilling or unable to tell [the agency] whether the design of the [ignition] switch changed at any other time.”

The federal agency argues further that the questions it asked do not require expert knowledge and that it does not matter that there is an internal investigation because following the General Motors ignition switch recall, the company had never mentioned that it might be an issue.

Other reports indicate that as many as 300 people may have lost their lives as a result of the defect, a fact noted in some recent GM class action lawsuits. General Motors has acknowledged that the system can malfunction when there is weight on the key, such as a key chain, or when driving on rough surfaces, which can shut the vehicle off, leading to potential loss of control and deactivation of the airbags in some instances.

File a GM Ignition Switch Recall Class Action Lawsuit Today

If you are a current or former owner or lessee of certain model years of the Chevrolet Cobalt, Pontiac G5, Saturn Ion, Chervrolet HHR, Pontiac Solstice or Saturn Sky, you may be able to seek damages based on any injuries suffered as a result of the defect or the reduced value of your vehicle. Learn more and submit your information at the GM Ignition Switch Recall Class Action Lawsuit Investigation.