Thomas J. Henry Files Motion for “Park It Now” Notice in GM Recall Investigation
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX (March 27, 2014) — Thomas J. Henry has filed an Emergency Motion in Federal Court to compel GM to issue a “Park It Now” notice to the current owners of certain Chevy, Pontiac, and Saturn vehicles recalled for defective ignitions. If the motion is granted, GM would be forced to tell recalled vehicle owners to park their cars until they are fixed.
“Then the company would have to decide whether or not to be a responsible corporation and provide substitute vehicles,” Thomas J. Henry said.
The motion was filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos will hear arguments on April 4.
Though the recalled GM vehicles have been linked to 303 deaths, the company has continually refused to voluntarily issue a “Park It Now” notice, insisting the cars are safe to drive even though their recall release says they can cause serious injury and death.
“GM’s refusal to voluntarily tell owners to ‘Park it Now’ shows a complete lack of concern for their own customers and for the public at large. This is not just an issue for GM vehicle owners. When a GM vehicle stalls or crashes on the road, the safety of every pedestrian and driver near that car is compromised. These recalled cars are ticking time bombs, travelling down the roadway along with the rest of us, our families, and our children. They need to be parked until repairs are made.”
THOMAS J. HENRY REACTS TO CLAIMS THAT RECALLED CARS ARE SAFE TO DRIVE
On their website, GM states that several factors can increase the likelihood of ignition failure in the recalled vehicles; factors include heavy key rings, bumpy roads, or other jarring events. They also claim that the recalled vehicles are safe to drive as long as all ancillary items are removed from the key ring.
“They gloss right over the fact that a bumpy road can cause the ignition to turn off while the car is being driven, which can lead to accidents, serious injuries, and deaths,” Thomas J. Henry stated. “I’ve been to every major city in the U.S. and have yet to find one that didn’t have bumpy roads,” he added.
“It is reckless to tell the public that these vehicles are safe to drive when hitting a pothole or travelling on uneven pavement can cause a fatal accident. Drivers cannot control the level of bumpiness on a road. The only thing drivers can control is the choice of whether or not to roll the dice and drive their cars despite these tremendous risks. GM should not be asking drivers to make this choice,” Thomas J. Henry stated.
ABOUT THE NATIONWIDE GM RECALL
GM recalled 1.6 million Chevrolet, Saturn, and Pontiac vehicles in February over faulty ignition switches. Factors including a heavy key ring, the jarring of the key, or a bumpy road can cause the switch to slip from the “on” position to the “accessory” position, essentially cutting engine power and disabling the air bags, brakes, and power steering. GM has linked 12 deaths to the issue. The Center for Auto Safety has linked 303 deaths to the defect.
Thomas J. Henry, a national injury firm, is representing numerous families in states across the U.S. who have lost loved ones in accidents involving the recalled vehicles.
