Third GM Ignition Switch Trial Begins

Jurors in a district court in Texas heard opening arguments today in the third trial this year that blames General Motors Co.’s defective ignition switch for a fatal car crash.

GM prevailed in two previous claims about the switches, both heard early this year as bellwether lawsuits by a federal court in New York City. That court aims to try three more cases by year-end to establish precedents to help resolve hundreds of similar complaints aggregated before the court.

The Texas case could be more difficult to defeat, Bloomberg New says. It notes that state courts don’t require a unanimous verdict, and judges permit more evidence.

The Texas lawsuit involves a 19-year-old driver initially charged with manslaughter in the death of another driver. The charge was dropped when the driver’s lawyer blamed the GM ignition switch. GM eventually recalled 2.6 million of the switches, which have been linked to at least 124 deaths and 275 serious injuries.

The driver’s lawyer blames the switch for the crash. GM concedes “mistakes and errors of judgment” about the design and use of the defective device. But it claims the crash was caused by speeding and reckless driving, pointing to police that says the driver was speeding.