The decision of Camaro owners to take legal action follows a GM statement to federal regulators earlier this month in which the company acknowledged that its popular sporty vehicle suffers from an ignition-switch problem capable of causing highway crashes, Weitz & Luxenberg reported.
The prominent New York-based mass-tort and consumer protection law firm has been at the forefront of litigation targeting the automaker since the company in February began recalling millions upon millions of other GM cars found to be afflicted with a variant of the ignition-system problem plaguing 2010-14 Camaro models.
The litigation on behalf of Camaro owners, operators, and riders takes the form of a class-action lawsuit, which Weitz & Luxenberg filed on Thursday in a New Jersey federal court, the firm said.
Weitz & Luxenberg attorney Robin L. Greenwald, head of the firm's Environmental, Toxic Torts and Consumer Protection Litigation group, explained that the lawsuit against GM is "necessary to ensure that injured Camaro drivers and passengers receive full and fair compensation for the harms that have befallen them and that their cars be repaired so they are safe to drive."
Greenwald said GM on June 13 announced it was recalling in the U.S. alone nearly a half-million Camaros "because a driver's knee could jostle the ignition-switch key fob - and, under normal driving conditions, this could cause the ignition to turn off and the power to the vehicle to fail while the vehicle is in operation."
GM itself has admitted that at least three crashes and four injuries resulted from the ignition-switch problem, but Greenwald contended that "the true number of crashes and injuries is believed to be much greater."
The court filing asserts that GM knew about these problems for a very long time yet chose to do nothing in order to avoid bad press that might frighten off consumers out shopping for a car.
"By failing to disclose critical information about the safety of these vehicles, GM violated the public's trust and showed a blatant disregard for its safety," said Greenwald.
"When individuals operate a motor vehicle, ride in one as a passenger, or walk along roadways as pedestrians, they trust and rely on companies to make those vehicles safe," she continued. "Indeed, with a 2,500 pound machine traveling at highway speeds, this is no room for error. And, when error occurs, the consequences are significant and can be life-altering or life-threatening."
So far, in the U.S., GM has recalled more than 20 million of its vehicles. Almost all have ignition-system defects that put drivers and passengers at risk of death or serious injury, Weitz & Luxenberg said.
"These problems are not at all what GM car owners bargained for when they purchased one of the company's vehicles," Greenwald said. "Our mission now is to help these GM car owners obtain the justice they are owed."
About Weitz & Luxenberg:
Founded in 1986 by attorneys Perry Weitz and Arthur Luxenberg, Weitz & Luxenberg, P.C., today ranks among the nation's leading law firms. Weitz & Luxenberg's numerous litigation areas include: mesothelioma, defective medicine and devices, environmental pollutants, accidents, personal injury, and medical malpractice. Victims of accidents are invited to rely on Weitz & Luxenberg's more than 25 years of experience handling such cases. You can contact the firm's Client Relations department at 800-476-6070 or at clientrelations@weitzlux.com.
More information: http://www.weitzluxenberg.com/ .
NEWS SOURCE: Weitz and Luxenberg :: This press release was issued on behalf of the news source (who is solely responsible for its accuracy) by Send2Press® Newswire, a service of Neotrope®. Original syndication source of this press release: https://www.send2press.com/newswire/Chevy-Camaro-Recall-Spurs-Weitz-and-Luxenberg-to-Again-Target-GM-with-Class-Action-Lawsuit_2014-06-0630-003.shtml.