General Motors has been hit with another lawsuit that could seek as much as $10 billion in compensation for owners who have allegedly seen the value of their vehicles fall due to the maker’s ongoing recall crisis.
Filed in Manhattan federal court, the lawsuit was prepared by the same, Seattle-based firm that brought another $10 billion claim against GM earlier this year, Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP.
“The value of all GM-branded vehicles has diminished as a result of the widespread publication of those defects and New GM’s corporate culture of ignoring and concealing safety defects,” the lawsuit states, referring to the post-bankruptcy carmaker as “New GM.”
The automaker has staged more than 60 recalls since just the beginning of 2014, with an electric wiring problem involving its new Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon midsize pickups being just the latest. GM is already facing an assortment of lawsuits, as well as a criminal investigation by the U.S. Justice Department, in connection with the recall of 2.6 million vehicles for an ignition switch defect it ignored for more than a decade.
(Airbag issue forces recall of GM’s new midsize trucks. Click Here for the latest.)
The maker has set up a victims’ compensation fund that has already acknowledged 27 deaths were caused by that problem. GM eventually expects to pay at least $400 million through that fund.
The new class action lawsuit is not focused on deaths or injuries, however, but looks at alleged losses in value of GM vehicles produced since the maker emerged from bankruptcy protection in July 2009 resulting from the ongoing disclosures of safety-related problems.
Through July of this year, the law firm behind the suit says 27 million vehicles would be affected. Steve Berman, one of the lead attorneys, told the Bloomberg news service he expected that more than 20 million owners would actually participate.
The law firm cited several examples to back its claim, alleging that a 2009 Pontiac Solstice is worth $2,900 less than it would have been had GM’s reputation not been damaged by the recall crisis. It also said Chevrolet Camaros built between 2010 and 2011 are worth $2,000 less than they might otherwise have brought at trade-in.
That’s a similar claim to what Hagens Berman alleged in the lawsuit filed earlier this year. Shortly after that legal action was announced, TheDetroitBureau.com spoke with numerous data tracking firms in the U.S., including the Black Book, which closely monitors and reports on vehicle pricing at auction. At the time, there was no indication that GM vehicles had suffered a loss of value due to the recalls. Recent industry data still shows little to no downward trend, though the legal team will clearly attempt to prove otherwise.
(Data doesn’t back earlier lawsuit’s claims. Click Here for TDB’s coverage.)
Significantly, Hagens Berman was behind a similar lawsuit filed against Toyota following its own recall crisis several years ago. The Japanese automaker ultimately paid out over $1 billion to settle the class action.
For its part, GM has so far defended itself against the first lawsuit and is indicating it will take a similar stand against the new one, declaring in an e-mail that it will “vigorously defend against plaintiffs’ claims that GM vehicles have reduced resale value.”
(Investors unplugging from Tesla stock. Click Here for the latest.)
I knew the blood suckers would be trying to cash in on a defect that is easily fixed and does not depreciate the value of the vehicle at all. This is typical U.S. Jackpot Justice which generates millions for the paid liars.
The siren chasers will have a field day with this one, though their meritless claims and suits should be dismissed WITH prejudice. Unfortunately in the U.S. the judicial system takes care of it’s own at the expense to society and true justice.
The American justice system is the best money can buy. On the other hand, with gm, you get what you pay for. Cheap, crappy cars.
GM is run by incompetent hacks. They have been peddling garbage for over 30 years. Time to pay the piper. Maybe your Chinese partners will bail you out. Afterall, that’s where the 100 billion went.