CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas,
July 31, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Today,
Texas lawyer Bob Hilliard, one of the nation's key players in
pursuing claims against General Motors for deaths and injuries
caused by faulty ignition switches, filed a lawsuit on behalf of
156 individuals who were injured or killed in GM's defective
vehicles.
Unlike Hilliard's filing of July
28th, which involved 658 victims whose accidents occurred
after GM emerged from Bankruptcy, and are not subject to GM's
bankruptcy defenses, today's filings are solely on behalf of
victims who died or suffered injuries prior to GM's filing for
Bankruptcy protection due to GM's ignition switch defect, and will
have to defeat GM's claims of bankruptcy protection.
Mr. Hilliard's lawsuit is filed in the
United States Southern District Court of New York where the General Motors, LLC
Ignition Switch Multi District Litigation (MDL) is currently
pending and names 20 Plaintiffs who are bringing claims on behalf
of individuals who were killed and 136 who were injured.
Today's filing represents pre-bankruptcy death and injury cases
that are not eligible to apply for compensation under the Feinberg
Plan due to the restrictive nature of the Fund's vehicle
qualifications.
Mr. Hilliard says, "GM is not allowing victims of the subsequent
15 million vehicles recalled for defective ignition switch issues
to have access to the fund and has told Mr. Feinberg it is
restricting eligibility to only the first 2.4 million vehicles
recalled. My clients in today's lawsuit were involved in accidents
in vehicles that were ultimately recalled by GM for defective
ignition switch issues."
"By restricting the fund to the first recall, a very small group
of potential claimants, GM sends the clear message that it will not
take responsibility for a majority of the victims who have suffered
because of GM—the families of the hundreds who have
died or the victims who have been severely injured in subsequently
recalled defective ignition vehicles whose deaths or injuries
occurred prior to 2009."
"General Motors is very publically and proudly sharpening its
Bankruptcy sword and has expressed every intention of wielding it
to inflict yet more injury on those whose lives it has already
devastated."
Mr. Hilliard goes on to state, "There is a ongoing process
beginning in Judge Gerber's bankruptcy court that will ultimately
determine if GM will enjoy full bankruptcy protection in the face
of the many lives it took and the devastating and permanent
injuries it caused. My clients and I trust this process. His Honor,
Judge Gerber, who is charged with making this decision, is well
respected by both sides and is well suited for weighing all the
necessary evidence in order to make his ruling."
"My clients understand GM intends to do everything within its
billion-dollar power to prevent their access to the courthouse. If
GM has its way, a jury will never be allowed to hear their tragic
story."
"I join with the best lawyers in the country to do everything in
our power to defeat GM on this crucial issue."
"I again call on Mary Barra to
either drop this outrageously unfair bankruptcy dodge, or quit
telling the world GM is committed to treating the victims fairly
and with compassion."
"GM's brutally callous actions in trying to use its bankruptcy
boot to kick these victims off the courthouse steps drown out the
hollow and untrue platitudes that its CEO keeps repeating."
"What GM is doing speaks so loudly that the World can no longer
hear what Mary Barra says."
Mr. Hilliard has filed a request with Judge Furman to lead the
MDL's national personal injury and death litigation.
The case is Edwards, et al. v. General Motors, LLC in the
Southern District of New York.
ABOUT HMG http://www.hmglawfirm.com/
Hilliard Munoz Gonzales LLP (HMG) specializes in mass torts,
personal injury, product liability, commercial and business
litigation, and wrongful death. Hilliard Munoz Gonzales LLP has
been successfully representing clients in the United States and Mexico since 1986. Bob Hilliard obtained
the Largest Verdict in the country in 2012 and the #1 verdict in
Texas in 2013.
HMG is actively seeking to represent other victims of GM's
defective vehicles.
To arrange an interview with Bob
Hilliard, please contact
Lauren
Gomez
lauren@hmglawfirm.com
361-960-3146
PDF -
http://origin-qps.onstreammedia.com/origin/multivu_archive/ENR/132295-FS-Ex-A-to-MFL-to-File-Complaint.pdf
SOURCE Hilliard Munoz Gonzales LLP