GM Appeal Over Ignition Switch Cases – DENIED

The Associated Press is reporting this morning that the appeal filed by General Motors has been denied by the Supreme Court. General Motors was seeking to halt several lawsuits filed in response to the faulty ignition switch cases that were installed in certain vehicles .  The Supreme Court effectively said that the company could not hide between its 2009 bankruptcy by leaving in place a lower court ruling that said that the company was still liable.  The liability means that GM could be exposed to billions in additional claims.   A federal appeals court ruled in 2016 that the company was liable because it knew of the faulty switches for several years before filing bankruptcy and did not disclose the information to the bankruptcy court.  To date, GM has paid more than $875 million to settle death and injury claims.  This amount includes $600 million paid from a victim’s fund as well as $275 million to settle claims from 1385 separate cases.  General Motors has also paid $300 million to settle shareholder lawsuits.