The death toll related to the faulty General Motors Co. (GM)
ignition switch rose by four to 49 people Monday after the
compensation fund approved more claims last week.
The fund, supervised by Washington, D.C., attorney Kenneth
Feinberg, is accepting claims from anyone injured in connection
with an ignition-switch-related accident. The fund has received
2,818 claims thus far and determined that 49 were eligible deceased
claims and 72 were confirmed serious injury claims.
Mr. Feinberg is still sorting through 857 claims that are now
classified as under review and working with another 763 claims
submitted without documentation.
The Detroit-based auto maker established the fund in August to
compensate any driver, passenger, pedestrian or occupants of
another vehicle who were killed or injured due to an accident
linked to the faulty ignition switch.
GM installed the switches in 2.8 million vehicles but waited
more than a decade to recall them. A jarring of or too much weight
on the ignition key can push the switch from "run" to "accessory,"
cutting power to the air bags, steering and brakes. GM originally
said it knew of only 13 deaths but later backed away from that
figure, saying it would let Mr. Feinberg determine the final
amount.
Those payouts are accepted on a voluntary basis, but those who
accept must waive their right to sue the company. The auto maker is
facing multiple lawsuits and investigations into its handling of
the issue.
Write to Jeff Bennett at jeff.bennett@wsj.com
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