The GM recalls have been all over the news lately, but very few networks are talking about how these recalls actually came about. CNN’s Michael Smerconish recently reported on the power and importance of the American Civil Justice System. Smerconish spoke about a family who lost their daughter in a 2010 crash involving a GM vehicle with a faulty ignition switch. Prior to the fatal wreck, Brooke Melton’s 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt shut off unexpectedly while she was driving. It caused her to lose power steering and brakes. Naturally concerned about the safety of her automobile, she took the Cobalt in for service. Four days later, Brooke died in a crash where the she apparently lost control of the vehicle.
The Pursuit of Justice
In one family’s pursuit of justice, a trial lawyer, an expert witness and an engineer found that Brooke’s car unexpectedly shutoff again causing her to lose power steering and breaks, then causing her to lose control of her car. It was Brooke’s birthday. As it turns out, GM knew about the defect before Brooke ever bought her car. An internal memo showed that fixing the defective part would have cost GM less than a dollar per car. This was apparently too expensive. When corporate, government and regulatory agencies fail American citizens, it’s still possible to pursue justice in the civil legal system. Although many questions still remain unanswered, the Melton family’s pursuit of justice through the Civil Legal System has played an integral part in raising awareness about a dangerous faulty product which is currently being blamed for at least 13 deaths.
Accountability
Although corporate lobbyists and a variety of large industries would like everybody to believe that civil lawsuits are “frivolous,” nothing could be further from the truth. When citizens are injured or killed due to a person or corporation’s negligent or reckless behavior, there’s often very little that the criminal justice system can do, if anything. In cases where there’s no criminal intent involved, but somebody is still injured or killed, citizens can seek justice in the Civil Legal System. If you or a loved one has been injured due to somebody’s negligent or reckless behavior, contact the experienced team at the Alexander Law Group, LLP at (888) 777-1776 for a free consultation today.
