• The GM ignition switch was faulty;
• This defect rendered vehicles unreasonably unsafe;
• GM failed to provide adequate warning of this dangerous defect;
• This defect did NOT cause the New Orleans crash that injured two plaintiffs.

The outcome was both good news and bad news. The bad news is that for this particular plaintiff, she did not prevail in the assertion that the auto manufacturer was liable to pay her damages. However, for future cases, the finding that the ignition switch defect created an unreasonable danger and the company failed to warn about it was significant.

This was the second bellwether case on this issue, and it was one that was closely watched after the first was abruptly dismissed following allegations that the victim was dishonest on the witness stand.

In this case, the company insisted this particular car accident, which occurred on an icy bridge on New Orleans, was no different than 30 other crashes that happened in that same area that same night: attributable to the icy, slippery conditions of the road, not the ignition switch defect.

“(The accident) was caused by the driver losing control on an icy bridge during a state-wide winter weather emergency,” a company spokesperson wrote in a statement.

As far as the finding that the switch was defective, that had already been established by the fact that the company has recalled some 30 million vehicles in the last two years – with about 2.5 million of those directly related to the ignition switch. The firm claims to have fixed the problem, which is blamed for at least 124 deaths and hundreds of injuries.

So far, it has paid out $870 million in order to settle personal injury and wrongful death claims, and it’s also paid the U.S. government $900 million in order to resolve a criminal investigation.

The question now is how much the company will need to pay in order to resolve the remaining federal and state lawsuits. This second bellwether case suggests the company isn’t going to walk away without paying anything, but plaintiffs may have to work harder to prove liability. That’s going to mean more of them will likely accept a lower settlement than they might have previously anticipated.

Still, plaintiff attorney characterized the outcome as a, “victory for consumers” because it solidified the argument that GM failed to use reasonable care.

The jury verdict was handed down in New York following a two-week trial that involved two plaintiffs who said they were injured in the case. The first plaintiff was the driver and the second the passenger, and both reportedly suffered injuries when the driver lost control of the car. She alleged the loss of control was due to the ignition switch defect, which could cause the ignition to shut off mid-ride when the keys are only slightly jostled.

There are 200 pending lawsuits against the company for various defects, including the ignition switch.

This was the second of six bellwether cases – with three chosen by plaintiffs and three by the defense.

If you have been a victim of a traffic accident, call Chalik & Chalik at (954) 476-1000 or 1 (800) 873-9040.

Additional Resources:

Bell Tolls for Car Owners in GM Ignition Suits, March 30, 2016, By Paul Barrett, Bloomberg.com

More Blog Entries:

Another Wave of Airbag Recalls Affects 5 Million Vehicles, Feb. 21, 2016, Miami Car Accident Attorney Blog

In 2009 Mr. Carter changed insurance companies and began seeing Dr. Shelton Barnes at Touros Infirmary. Barnes allegedly did not offer Carter specialized cardiac aftercare, and Carter’s chest pains soon returned. Barnes then referred Carter to another cardiac surgeon, a Dr. Michael B. Jones.

Jones diagnosed Carter with coronary artery disease and recommended surgery, which they booked for September 10, 2013. In the middle of the operation, Mr. Carter sustained a stroke. Carter filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against the surgeon, suggesting Jones was negligent and had not adhered to the accepted standard of medical care. The stroke completely incapacitated Carter’s left side and caused him severe pain.

The lawsuit seeks damages for the lack of accepted care and treatment leading up to Carter’s stroke and compensation for loss of society, companionship and consortium for Carter’s wife. Given the number of surgeries and the kind of care that Mr. Carter was receiving, the family’s medical bills would be extremely high. One of the best ways for the Carters to finance their costs would be to apply for litigation funding. A lawsuit loan is emergency funding sent to an approved plaintiff that allows immediate payment of medical bills and funds for the duration of a journey to trial or settlement.

This pre-settlement funding, allows a plaintiff the time to heal and manage financial issues. While the funds, which usually arrive in less than 48 hours, may be used to pay for anything, it is best to take care of medical bills immediately.

Many plaintiffs facing a long road to justice find litigation funding appealing, as it helps to handle day-to-day bills and monthly financial obligations while still allowing a financial cushion in the bank. Plaintiffs also have the security of knowing that if their case does lose in court, repayment of the funds received is unnecessary, with no strings attached.

Daren Monroe writes for Litigation Funding Corp. To learn more about lawsuit funding and litigation funding, visit http://www.litigationfundingcorp.com/.

A fertilizer plant in Donaldsonville, Louisiana, some 60 miles northwest of New Orleans, was the site of an explosion on June 14, 2013. One worker died and seven were injured in the blast. The plant is owned by CF Industries Holdings Inc. The accident happened around 6 p.m. when a vessel full of nitrogen ruptured. This occurred in a section of the plant that had been closed for maintenance; this may have saved a number of lives. There was no chemical release or subsequent fire.

Local and federal agencies including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, along with CF Industries, are investigating the incident.

Just days earlier, a chemical plant in Geismar, Louisiana, mere miles away on the other side of the Mississippi River, was the site of another blast. That accident killed two workers and injured 77 more.

And on April 17, 2013, a West, Texas fertilizer plant explosion killed 14 and injured over 200 in the country’s most deadly industrial accident in years.

The vast majority of industrial accidents are preventable. It is the responsibility of everyone from workers to companies to local, state, and federal safety agencies to do everything possible to maintain safety in the nation’s industrial plants.

We Focus our Practice Exclusively on Wrongful Death and Critical Injury Cases – Contact a personal injury attorney at The Lietz Law Firm by calling 866-554-1238 or learn more by visiting http://www.lietzlaw.com/.

It’s depressing to discover that there are roughly 4,800 bikers killed each year and approximately 88,000 injured while riding that live to tell about it. And yet, bikers still hit the road in the hopes that they will not become one of those numbers. They may not. However, the fact is that the number of bikers maimed and killed is completely skewed when considering other traffic accidents.

The fact is that motorcycle riders are five times more likely to end up dead in a bike wreck that those in a passenger vehicle, which makes sense, since the vehicle has more protection going for it. While wearing a helmet does help save lives, it is still not the be-all end-all, or magic bullet to avoid death or serious injury. Riding in certain locations is also something a biker needs to keep in mind. For instance you might want to take extra care or avoid riding your bike in West Palm Beach, Florida, Las Vegas, Nevada, New Orleans, Louisiana, Baltimore, Maryland, and Atlanta, Georgia.

West Palm Beach is rife with distracted driver’s ogling the scenery. In 2010, 350 bikers died in wrecks. Las Vegas lays claim to the most disoriented drivers, as a result of the stunningly bright lights and constant stream of traffic in most locations. That state clocks in with ten fatalities per 100,000 registered bikes, making it a risky place for bikers and their rides.

In New Orleans, mopeds and motorcycles vie for road space, along with passenger vehicles. The bikers usually lose out thanks to the extremely heavy traffic. Baltimore weighs in with at least 1,800 motorcycle accidents yearly, largely due to the heavy traffic and weird freeway designs. And Atlanta is distinguished by its not so stellar record of having double the national average of biker wrecks, thanks to extremely heavy traffic congestion.

If you are involved in a motorcycle accident in Atlanta, make a call right away to an experience Atlanta personal injury lawyer who knows the ropes. Do not deal with the insurance company, as their only goal is to try and reduce your claim or deny it. Leave the insurance company to the Atlanta personal injury lawyer. They deal with them every day and know how to make them back off your case and listen to reason.

Tim Anderson writes for Atlanta Personal Injury attorney, Stephen M. Ozcomert. The firm specializes in personal injury, malpractice, motorcycle accidents, and wrongful death. To learn more about Atlanta personal injury lawyer, Stephen M. Ozcomert, visit Ozcomert.com.

It’s depressing to discover that there are roughly 4,800 bikers killed each year and approximately 88,000 injured while riding that live to tell about it. And yet, bikers still hit the road in the hopes that they will not become one of those numbers. They may not. However, the fact is that the number of bikers maimed and killed is completely skewed when considering other traffic accidents.

The fact is that motorcycle riders are five times more likely to end up dead in a bike wreck that those in a passenger vehicle, which makes sense, since the vehicle has more protection going for it. While wearing a helmet does help save lives, it is still not the be-all end-all, or magic bullet to avoid death or serious injury. Riding in certain locations is also something a biker needs to keep in mind. For instance you might want to take extra care or avoid riding your bike in West Palm Beach, Florida, Las Vegas, Nevada, New Orleans, Louisiana, Baltimore, Maryland, and Atlanta, Georgia.

West Palm Beach is rife with distracted driver’s ogling the scenery. In 2010, 350 bikers died in wrecks. Las Vegas lays claim to the most disoriented drivers, as a result of the stunningly bright lights and constant stream of traffic in most locations. That state clocks in with ten fatalities per 100,000 registered bikes, making it a risky place for bikers and their rides.

In New Orleans, mopeds and motorcycles vie for road space, along with passenger vehicles. The bikers usually lose out thanks to the extremely heavy traffic. Baltimore weighs in with at least 1,800 motorcycle accidents yearly, largely due to the heavy traffic and weird freeway designs. And Atlanta is distinguished by its not so stellar record of having double the national average of biker wrecks, thanks to extremely heavy traffic congestion.

If you are involved in a motorcycle accident in Atlanta, make a call right away to an experience Atlanta personal injury lawyer who knows the ropes. Do not deal with the insurance company, as their only goal is to try and reduce your claim or deny it. Leave the insurance company to the Atlanta personal injury lawyer. They deal with them every day and know how to make them back off your case and listen to reason.

Tim Anderson writes for Atlanta Personal Injury attorney, Stephen M. Ozcomert. The firm specializes in personal injury, malpractice, motorcycle accidents, and wrongful death. To learn more about Atlanta personal injury lawyer, Stephen M. Ozcomert, visit Ozcomert.com.