General Motors(WASHINGTON) — General Motors on Monday announced details of its compensation program for victims of crashes caused by defective ignition switches.
According to the automaker, the switches have been involved in at least 54 crashes and 13 deaths.
Kenneth Feinberg, administrator of the GM Ignition Compensation Claims Resolution Facility, said GM has agreed not to place a limit on the amount of money paid to victims.
“I thank General Motors for their total cooperation in establishing this program. They’re funding it and they’re funding it without any cap on the aggregate amount of money that’s going to be available,” he told reporters in Washington, D.C. Monday.
Feinberg, who will determine how much victims will be compensated, said those eligible for claims under the program include: “The driver, any passengers in the automobile, any pedestrian, any occupant of a second vehicle involved in the accident.”
He said claimants must prove that a faulty ignition switch played a role in their accident.
“This program is about General Motors and ignition switches. We have no interest in evaluating any alleged contributory negligence on the part of the driver. It is totally irrelevant. We have no interest,” Feinberg noted.
“The test for eligibility will be…was the ignition switch defect a proximate cause of the accident,” he added.
Feinberg said people who had previously settled claims with GM before learning about the ignition switch defect will be allowed to take part in the new compensation program.
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