'Accidents just happen,' GM lawyer says in ignition-switch trial
General Motors is back in court for another ignition-switch trial, one of several test cases that could affect more than 1,000 pending cases.
The first case was dismissed amid allegations of perjury, casting doubt on the plaintiffs' damage claims. The court has now moved on to the second of six bellwether lawsuits.
The current trial centers around a 2014 accident involving a 2007 Saturn Sky that wrecked on an icy bridge in New Orleans. Plaintiffs claim the defective ignition switch interfered with the driver's attempts to avoid a multi-vehicle pileup, according to The Detroit News .
GM attorney Mike Brock has argued that the accident was not caused by the ignition switch, and the vehicle was traveling too slow to deploy the airbags.
"Sometimes, accidents just happen," he told the jury, as quoted by Bloomberg . "This car is not the villain in this case."
Separate proceedings will attempt to determine if the 'New GM' is liable for wrongdoing committed by the pre-bankruptcy entity now known as the 'Old GM.' Courts ruled in GM's favor last year, however plaintiffs' attorneys are still attempting to overturn the decisions. If the legal challenges prove successful, the company could be exposed to billions of dollars in additional claims over deaths, injuries and lost value.
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