Delete the Jan. 31, 2015 Deadline of the GM Ignition Switch Compensation Program


Delete the Jan. 31, 2015 Deadline of the GM Ignition Switch Compensation Program

January, 2015

Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:

The GM Ignition Switch Compensation Plan – Status

The GM Plan is scheduled to end January 31, 2015.  See http://www.gmignitioncompensation.com/index

As of January 16, 2015 the GM Plan reports 2,818 claims received and only 121 claims deemed eligible.   *  49 claims eligible out of 311 claims made for fatalities

*    7 claims eligible out of 207 claims made for catastrophic injuries

*  65 claims eligible out of 2,300 claims made for hospitalization injuries

See http://www.gmignitioncompensation.com/docs/program_Statistics.pdf

The GM Ignition Switch Compensation Plan – Needs Extension
The number of claims made appear to be too few in comparison with the number of GM fatalities each year over the calendar year period 2001 – 2013 during which ignition switch related deaths and injuries occurred and continue to occur.   NHTSA data on GM Vehicles in Fatal Crashes by year are as follows: Crash        Fatal           TotalYear          Crashes     Fatalities 2001        15,543        17,699 2002        15,366        17,524 2003        15,097        17,159 2004        14,986        17,065 2005        14,631        16,633 2006        13,889        15,704 2007        13,208        14,917 2008        11,797        13,192 2009        10,540        11,914 2010        10,268        11,404 2011          9,714        10,828 2012        10,094        11,265 2013          9,580        10,617
                 _______________ Total        164,713       185,921
In 2013, GM vehicles involved in fatal crashes resulted in 10,617 crash deaths, i.e., an average of 29 American deaths per day in the U.S.A.   This is occurring in the 21st Century.
These 10,617 crash deaths involving GM vehicles in 2013, valued at $9.1 million in accordance with DOT Policy Guidance (copy attached) amount to a societal loss of $96 billion in monetary terms — not moral terms.
Note: Not all of these GM deaths are ignition switch related.  But NHTSA should publish an analysis of these fatal crashes to determine how many may have been.  And what more could GM and NHTSA have done to reduce their contribution to all these tragedies then and now. It is neither fair, nor moral, for GM to place the onus on crash victims families to have to document, to the satisfaction of GM, their claims – especially without help from NHTSA and other government agencies.  And do so in the few short months of the GM designed plan. 
The January 31, 2015, GM created, deadline for receiving claims from victims is unfair, immoral, and untenable.  Millions of Americans continue to be at risk.  A recent reported fatality occurred on Oct. 9, 2014.  See http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/04/business/Recalled-GM-cars-remain-unrepaired-as-safety-concerns-persist.html The arbitrary deadline for claims should be deleted by GM.  If necessary, it should be done under pressure from NHTSA and the Justice Department.  It is the right thing to do.
With 185,921 GM deaths – not including serious injuries – we need an independent national Crash Victims Commission to examine what can be done to reduce such tragedies.  One recommendation would be for NHTSA to publish fatality and injury data by auto company to spur competition for safety advances.  See https://www.careforcrashvictims.com/assets/MonthlyReport-May2014.pdf Lest NHTSA or GM seek shelter in the declines since 2006, we must recall that one major factor was the effect of the Great Recession.  See NHTSA Figure 1 http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812093.pdf
Additional Information on GM Ignition Recall 
GM and NHTSA can and must act this week to protect Americans, compensate victims, and build a Safer America.  Delete the GM deadline, now please.
Lou

 

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