Number of GM Ignition Claims Soar as Claims Deadline Passes, Fatalities Hit 51

The January 31, 2015 deadline to submit a claim for GM’s ignition switch compensation fund brought a surge in submissions filed by potential victims the automaker reported a total of 4,180 injury and death claims; 51 of which were fatalities already approved by GM’s compensation fund. The GM Ignition Compensation Claims Resolution Facility is the fund administered by Kenneth Feinberg, an attorney hired by GM to determine eligibility of those claiming injury related to GM’s faulty ignition switches installed in 2.6 million vehicles that were not recalled by GM for over 10 years. The defective switch causes the key system to slip out of the “on” position while driving, powering down the entire vehicle and rendering safety features useless.