General Motors has settled nearly 1400 lawsuits related to several recalls, including the 2.6 million vehicles called back over a defective ignition switch.
A Wall Street Journal report says the company has also struck a deal with the US Justice Department over a criminal case it filed over the switch problem.
Most of the lawsuits were for personal injury and wrongful death, it said.
GM’s payouts over the spate of recalls is far from over – there are over 400 left in a consolidated legal action, with the first trial set for January next year.
It has also settled a class-action lawsuit in which investors claimed to have been misled about the defects by the Detroit-based manufacturer.
“The parties to these agreements have resolved difficult claims without the burden, expense, and uncertainty of litigation,” GM’s general counsel Craig Glidden told the US newspaper.
Texan lawyer Bob Hillard, representing General Motors customers with injury and death suits said the settlements yesterday “would allow some healing.”
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