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GM Sued for Car Safety Defects

Posted on May 9, 2018 in

General Motors is currently being sued by two different Texas families after allegedly defective head restraints caused one man’s death and left another paralyzed from the neck down. Both of the injured individuals drove the 2016 Chevy Malibu, a popular sedan that actually received promising safety marks in both side and front impact crash tests. However, both lawsuits state that the danger comes when the car is struck from the rear, causing the headrests to disconnect, harming either the driver or passenger.

The Lawsuits

One of the incidents involved Randy Davis, a 46-year-old Houston resident who was rear-ended by a truck in October 2017. During the crash, the entire head restraint came off the seat, leading Davis to be internally decapitated. Davis’s product liability attorney states that the crash was low-impact and should not have had the deadly outcome that it did. Davis’s family blames General Motors for the serious safety flaw.

In a similar crash, 71-year-old Johnny Anderson became paralyzed when his head restraint broke after a truck rear-ended his vehicle. In this particular crash, the truck that hit Anderson was going only 10 miles an hour. Again, this type of impact from a truck accident should not have led to life-altering injuries. As a result of the projectile head restraint, Anderson is now a C1, C2 quadriplegic.

General Motors & Safety Flaws

GM holds that they followed all safety regulations when building their vehicles, despite claims that the posts used in their head restraints for the Chevrolet Malibu are unsafe. The rods used to hold the headrest in place have been hollowed out and are made of a cheap, flimsy metal, which is what makes it possible for the restraints to snap so easily under minimal pressure. Although the Chevy Malibu tests well for front and side-impact safety, the safety in rear-end collisions is not mentioned. To learn more about this incident, visit fox4news.com.

The dangers of these faulty headrests are relatively unknown, making this hazard particularly dangerous to the general public. If you or someone you love was injured in a crash involving a defective vehicle, including the GM head restraints, our firm wants to help. Our experienced personal injury attorneys in Chicago can help you fight for compensation after an injury, including medical expenses, loss of wages, pain and suffering, and other damages.

To get started on your personal injury case, contact Duncan Law Group to request a free consultation with our Chicago attorneys.