| | Earl Drott, P.C. | Board Certified In Personal Injury | 28 Years Experience | (903) 531-9300 | | Dear Earl, Revelations that GM chose profit over safety highlight once again why it is so important to stand up for every American's constitutional right to pursue justice in a court of law. It is the great equalizer between the individual and the powerful. | |
| | 28 Years Experience Trying Personal Injury Cases Counts After 28 years of handling personal injury cases we've learned that sometimes you have to "just say no" to the insurance company and saddle up and go try the case in front of a jury. We did just that in June of this year in a car wreck case involving some pretty serious injuries. The Defendants' auto liability insurance company made a lowball offer and dug in. We said "NO" and headed to the court house. I guess being hard headed has its advantages because a Smith County jury awarded us more than seven times what the insurance company had offered. It was a good day for the good guy. Continue reading.
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| Civil Justice System Compels Safety Innovations Family’s Search for Answers Uncovers Fatal Flaw in GM Cars | GM executives chose not to fix a defective ignition because it would cost $1 per car. |
On March 10, 2010, Brooke Melton experienced the worst kind of déjà vu. Four days earlier, she had wrestled her 2005 GM Cobalt to the side of the road after the engine suddenly shut off. The car was serviced and supposedly fixed, but it happened again, cutting off power to her steering and brakes. This time the pediatric nurse, described by those who knew her as “sweet and caring,” lost control and swerved into another car. She died in the collision. Brooke was on her way to celebrate her 29th birthday with her boyfriend. At the hospital, Brooke’s father bent over and whispered in his daughter’s ear that he would find out what happened that terrible night. The Meltons would exercise their right to seek justice and, like many brave Americans before them, ultimately make this a safer world for us all. GM knew ignition problem existed. >>> | | | 13 Deaths | GM’s failure to fix a known defect with an ignition switch, which affected several Chevrolet models made between 2003 and 2007, is blamed for at least 32 crashes and 13 deaths. Source: SEC Opens Probe Over GM Ignition Switch Recall, USA Today | 11 Safety Fixes | Major auto safety innovations prompted by litigation include gas tanks, side-impact protection, seat belts, roof design, tires, electronic stability, door latches, parking gear, air bags, power windows and seats. Source: Driven to Safety, American Association for Justice | 6,000 Lives Saved | Approximately 6,000 deaths and millions of injuries are prevented each year because companies have improved the safety of their products and services in response to product liability laws.
Source: Congressional Testimony, Consumer Federation of America |
| | Group Urges GM to Create Compensation Fund The Center for Justice & Democracy is a national consumer organization fighting for civil justice and raising awareness to protect Americans. Its members are urging GM to create a compensation fund for those injured in crashes related to the defective ignition switch. Follow the Latest on Auto Safety, Consumer Rights The Consumers Union and Ralph Nader founded the Center for Auto Safety in 1970 to provide consumers a voice for auto safety and quality in Washington, D.C. Visit the Center’s website to track recalls, file or read complaints and read about the latest developments in auto safety. Federation Advancing Consumer Rights Since 1968 The Consumer Federation of America is an association of nonprofit consumer organizations established to advance consumer interests through research, advocacy and education. Today nearly 300 groups belong to the Federation. Find those located in your state here. |
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