GM Ignition Switch Deadline Passes, Death Toll Rises To 51
2
Sponsored Links
As the January 31st cut-off date to submit a claim for compensation from the General Motors ignition switch recall came and went, there is still plenty of work to be done according to attorney Kenneth Feinberg and Camille Biros.
Feinberg and Biros have oversaw the compensation and case review process of those who have claimed the faulty ignition switches from Chevrolet Cobalts, Saturn Ions and other compact cars from GM caused loss of life or injury of a family member. In total, 4,180 claims have been received, but Biros expect the number to climb as postmarked cases arrive on their desks. As of this week, an additional death has been approved by the compensation fund, bringing the total up to 51, from 50 last week.
Feinberg, Biros and other staff have yet to review 1,103 claims with proper evidence attached. There remains 1,502 claims submitted with no documentation, but Biros stated those claims may be reviewed if and when proper evidence is presented.
“We still have a fair amount of work ahead of us,” commented Biros to the Detroit Free Press, who estimated the process likely will be completed by “late spring.” That beats earlier estimates of late summer, but nonetheless, a final number won’t be known for some time.
General Motors has estimated the fund cost to be around $400 million and $600 million dollars. The automaker also has no involvement in whether a case is eligible for compensation. Of the cases Feinberg and Biros have reviewed, 480 were deemed ineligible for compensation.
Each party who is eligible for compensation may reject the decision and take the case to court, but as of now, no claimants have rejected their settlement offer.
Sponsored Links
Who made the bad ignition switches and where did they come from?
If you search back a few months on here you will find out all the answers. Cole’s notes version was a GM engineer designed them, then found out they were defective a couple years later, made a design change (not affective) and didn’t tell anyone (even kept same part number). Once a few GM execs discovered the issue (and it covered a number of vehicle models and number of years), a couple head lawyers and GM exec’s kept it under wraps without telling top management. Once it came unwound, Bara fired the top execs, lawyers and the engineer who were involved in the cover up.