General Motors announced the recall of 2.42 million vehicles last week. This represents the latest in an unrelenting stream of vehicles that General Motors has needed to recall this year. The latest recalls are for four separate issues, affecting the Buick Enclave, Chevy Traverse, GMC Acadia, Chevy Malibu, Pontiac G6, Cadillac Escalade, Cadillac Escalade ESV, Chevy Silverado, and GMC Sierra HD. According to a General Motors press release, the recent recalls were made to address problems with the seat belts separating and air bag deployment.
While these latest recalls address serious safety concerns with General Motors vehicles, the car maker’s largest worries are related to a separate series of recalls caused by a fault in the ignition switch located behind the steering wheel. According to an NPR article, the ignition on some GM vehicles would turn from the “On” position to the “Accessory” position for no apparent reason. This would lock the steering wheel and prevent the airbags from deploying in the event of a collision.
In February 2014, General Motors acknowledged the problem and issued a public apology to the families of at least 14 people who have been killed and more than 17 who were injured from the faulty ignition switch. Additionally, a recall has been expanded to include 1.6 million more vehicles. Vehicles that may have the faulty ignition include 2005-2007 Chevrolet Cobalts, 2003-2007 Saturn Ions, 2006-2007 Chevrolet HHRs, 2006-2007 Pontiac Solstices, and the 2007 Saturn Sky. Any of these vehicles could be extremely dangerous and lead to a deadly New Mexico auto accident..
Although General Motors has recalled vehicles known to have the ignition fault, they have been accused of not issuing the recalls soon enough, thus potentially allowing preventable injuries and deaths to occur. According to the article, General Motors agreed to pay a $35 million civil penalty because it failed to properly address the safety issues in a timely manner. In addition to this civil penalty, General Motors is also subject to civil litigation. If an accident was caused by one of the defects for which General Motors has issued a recall, a New Mexico personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit is one way for victims to seek the compensation that they deserve. Manufacturers like General Motors have a responsibility to the public to sell products that meet a certain standard of safety, and they can and should be held financially responsible when their products cause injury or death.
Have You Been Injured in a New Mexico Car Accident?
If you or someone you love has been injured or killed in any auto accident, including one that may have been caused by a faulty GM ignition switch or other recall, call The Fine Law Firm today. Our experienced and dedicated New Mexico personal injury attorneys will discuss your New Mexico wrongful death or personal injury case for no charge. At The Fine Law Firm, we know how to stand up to manufactures and insurance companies to seek for our clients the type of award they deserve. We represent clients in a variety of personal injury cases, including defective products and auto accidents. Give us a call at (505)889-3463, or contact us online to schedule a review of your case.
More Blog Posts:
New Mexico Supreme Court Finds That Lack of Foreseeability Does Not Prevent a Premises Liability Claim from Going to Trial, New Mexico Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, May 20, 2014.
New Mexico Federal Court Rejects Defendant’s Attempt to Disqualify Plaintiff’s Witness in Slip-and-Fall Case, New Mexico Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, April 5, 2014.