General Motors got its way once again in a New York court with the dismissal of an ignition switch lawsuit that was scheduled to go to trial in July 2016.
In what was supposed to be the fourth "bellwether" or test trial concerning defective ignition switches, lawyers for plaintiff Robert Reid and attorneys for GM agreed to dismiss the lawsuit. Mr. Reid sued after alleging the ignition switch in his Chevrolet HHR caused him to lose control of the vehicle in Alabama.
Not much information was released concerning the dismissal agreement, but plaintiff Robert Reid won't see a nickel from GM.
The six test trials were scheduled to determine how to proceed with hundreds of other ignition switch cases filed after the switches were found to be defective and deadly. The automaker has admitted to hiding the defects for at least 10 years while accidents, injuries and deaths were occurring.
The switch can move out of the "run" position from a simple bump in the road or a heavy key ring, causing a loss of power steering, power brakes and a loss of functional airbags.
Out of the six trials so far, three have went in favor of General Motors. The first trial was dismissed after the plaintiff was caught committing fraud and in the second trial, the jury ruled the ignition switch didn't cause the crash of a 2007 Saturn Sky.
The third trial was scheduled for May 2016, but GM agreed to settle the wrongful death lawsuit before the case reached the jury.
With the fourth case wrapped up, two additional trials are scheduled in New York, one picked by GM and the other chosen by the plaintiffs.