131 Fatality Claims Filed With GM Compensation Fund Thus Far

Cameron Aubernon
by Cameron Aubernon

Yesterday, we reported General Motors accepting there were 19 fatalities linked to a defective ignition switch originally tied to 13 deaths and 31 accidents, thanks in part to the compensation fund established with the aid of administrator and attorney Kenneth Feinberg. More could be on the way, however, as 131 fatality claims have been submitted thus far.

The Detroit News reports a total of 482 claims have been filed with the compensation fund since August 1, 2014, when the window for accepting claims was first opened. Some of the claims may end up being denied due to not adhering to the requirements for filing, such as the vehicle involved. That said, the two dozen administrative officials and economists involved in sorting out the claims haven’t yet said how many of the claims will be denied.

Compensation for approved fatality claims will be at least $1 million plus lost economic value per life, along with $300,000 each for surviving spouses and children for pain and suffering. Claims will continue to be accepted until the end of the year, which may see the official death toll increase by the time all claims have been examined in mid-2015.

Cameron Aubernon
Cameron Aubernon

Seattle-based writer, blogger, and photographer for many a publication. Born in Louisville. Raised in Kansas. Where I lay my head is home.

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 9 comments
  • 50merc 50merc on Sep 17, 2014

    How much time does it take for a mechanic to replace the switch?

    • Rpol35 Rpol35 on Sep 17, 2014

      I've done it in about two hours on a car without an airbag, the airbag, I guess would add more time. If you're doing this all of the time, as in a recall, I would imagine that you get good at it and takes less time. There is a lot of "stuff" to move to get to the switch.

  • BerlinDave BerlinDave on Sep 17, 2014

    Remember when you just turned the key back on and kept on going??? For that matter remember turning said key off and then back on in order to backfire? Guess that dates me - I managed to do it once or twice and still survived!

    • See 3 previous
    • Bosozoku Bosozoku on Sep 17, 2014

      @DenverMike Having been raised on beaters and old cars with electrical gremlins, the procedure for restarting an automatic car in motion was one learned early on and usually in inopportune situations. But if a driver has never driven such vehicles, it's easy to understand how they'd probably not know how to react if the engine suddenly at 60 MPH.

  • Highdesertcat Highdesertcat on Sep 17, 2014

    “131 Fatality Claims Filed With GM Compensation Fund Thus Far...” Interesting! But then the burden of proof is on the victims and/or survivors, isn't it? How do you go about proving an equipment malfunction if some law-enforcement reconstructionist already determined that there were other contributing factors that led to your accident, especially if you were texting, talking on the phone, asleep at the wheel, stoned and/or drunk? How many law-enforcement reconstructionists would say, "Yeah,I could have been wrong. It could have been a defective ignition switch that further complicated this accident?"

  • DenverMike DenverMike on Sep 17, 2014

    Deaths caused by the switch can easily go unreported when the crash wouldn't normally deploy a frontal airbag. There's nothing suspicious about a rollover death or reason to check switch position.

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