Kenneth Feinberg, the independent claims administrator for the GM Ignition Compensation Program, announces the details of a compensation program designed to compensate victims of GM defective ignition switches. Pursuant to the announced plan, anyone killed or injured in an accident involving recalled GM vehicles are permitted to submit a claim for compensation. The compensation program is specifically limited to the following GM automobiles:
- Chevrolet Cobalt (Model Years 2005-2007)
- Chevrolet HHR (Model Years 2006-2007)
- Daewoo G2X (Model Year 2007)
- Opel/Vauxhall GT (Model Year 2007)
- Pontiac G4 (Model Years 2005-2006)
- Pontiac G5 (Model Year 2007)
- Pontiac Pursuit (Model Years 2005-2006)
- Pontiac Solstice (Model Years 2006-2007)
- Saturn Ion (Model Years 2003-2007)
- Saturn Sky (Model Year 2007)
Additionally, if you had a GM ignition switch replaced prior to the accident AND the accident in question occurred after the replacement, the following GM Models are included in the compensation plan:
- Chevrolet Cobalt (Model Years 2008-2010)
- Chevrolet HHR (Model Years 2008-2011)
- Daewoo G2X (Model Years 2008-2009)
- Opel/Vauxhall GT (Model Years 2008-2010)
- Pontiac G5 (Model Years 2008-2010)
- Pontiac Solstice (Model Years 2008-2010)
- Saturn Sky (Model Years 2008-2010)
The announced program is purely voluntary. If the compensation being offered is unsatisfactory, the victims are still permitted to proceed with litigation in court against GM. Mr. Feinberg retains full authority to make settlement offers and by agreement, GM has waived its right to appeal the amount compensation being offered to victims and agreed to pay the recommended settlement amounts. Additionally, the comparative fault of the driver, such as texting or speeding, is not being considered to reduce the value of the claim. The compensation program will not take into account whether the driver/victim was at fault in causing the accident.
However, in order to be eligible for compensation, the victim must prove the ignition switch defect was the cause of the accident. Specifically, the victim must prove with evidence that the airbags did NOT deploy, which is the key factor in determining whether a defective ignition switch was the cause of the accident. If the airbags were deployed, you are not eligible for participation in the compensation program. Mr. Feinberg will accept circumstantial evidence in order to prove the cause of the accident, such as police reports, medical records, insurance documents, etc.
All claims will be paid out within 90-120 days of substantial completion of the claim. The compensation program will only accept claims between August 1, 2014 and December 31, 2014. If you have been injured due to a defective GM ignition switch, you must act quickly to participate in this compensation program. While an attorney is not required to submit the claim, an knowledgeable attorney can help in the presentation of the claims in order to maximize the potential settlement offer. If you have been the victim of the GM ignition switch defect, please contact an attorney at Martinez & Schill LLP to help assist you in the presentation of your claim in order to maximize your potential recovery. 619-512-5995.