GM CEO under fire as new evidence of ignored warnings surfaces

ABC World News reported GM CEO Mary Barra was “back in the hot seat” on Wednesday “over those faulty ignition switches.” Barra is “vowing to change the culture inside GM to make sure this never happens again.”

The CBS Evening News reported that Barra “was back before Congress today for another grilling about that ignition switch defect that is linked to 13 deaths and why it took the company a decade to recall millions of cars.” CBS added that on Wednesday at the hearing “it was revealed that a company employee sent this email in 2005 about a stalling Impala – ‘I think this is a serious safety problem. I’m thinking big recall. I don’t like to imagine a customer driving with their kids in the back seat.’”

The New York Times reports that Barra “came under renewed attack” on Wednesday during an appearance before a House. Lawmakers “were not satisfied with the company’s investigation into its delayed recall of millions of cars and challenged her on whether its most recent recalls should have been made earlier.” For example, House Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton “produced a string of internal emails from 2005 that showed that one G.M. employee had experienced a stalling problem in a Chevrolet Impala.” However, that model “was not recalled until this week.” Barra “testified that she did not believe that recalls were routinely avoided in the past.”

The Wall Street Journal focuses on the email from the employee, Laura J. Andres, who told GM engineers that her Chevy Impala shut off after she hit a bump in the road, and said that the issue appeared to be linked to an ignition problem.

Lawsuit seeks $10 billion in compensation for all GM owners

Citing a report from Reuters, USA Today says that a lawsuit filed Wednesday in Federal court is seeking compensation for “all owners of late-model GM vehicles” because the safety issues surrounding the company have damaged the brand and diminished the value of the cars. The lawsuit is seeking class-action status for all those who bought or leased GM vehicles between July 10, 2009 and April 1, 2014; the suit claims that the vehicles have lost between $500 and $2,600 in resale value, for a total of over $10 billion.

In its coverage, TIME notes that the lawsuit is “the first legal claim that GM owes customers some compensation for damaging its brand and reputation.”

Case of ignored GM whistleblower examined

In a more than 3,800-word article, Bloomberg BusinessWeek reports on how GM retaliated against inspector Courtland Kelley after he insistently voiced concerns over safety issues. BusinessWeek details Kelley’s investigations through his years at GM, his threats to take his concerns to the NHTSA, his tribulations within the company, and unsuccessful lawsuit, highlighting the effect it had on discouraging whistle-blowers.

We believe that obtaining legal satisfaction from those who harmed you shouldn’t require more hardship. That’s why we do everything we can to streamline the process, and we will file a lawsuit on your behalf if necessary. If you or a loved one has been affected by this recall, and you believe it caused an injury, contact Chhabra & Gibbs today by going to www.cglawms.com or by calling this number: 601-948-8005.