General Motors will offer at least $1 million to family members of victims who died as a result of the ignition switch defect that led to widespread recalls, fund administrator Kenneth Feinberg announced on Monday. GM has linked 13 deaths to the flawed ignition switches, though federal regulators have said there is a strong chance that the part is to blame for more fatalities. Claims can be submitted beginning Aug. 1. Here's how the fund's protocol breaks down:
- There's no cap under the plan for victim compensation regarding people who were killed or injured in recalled vehicles.
- If the airbag deployed in an accident, the vehicle is not eligible for a claim.
- Compensation isn't just for the driver: passengers, pedestrians or occupants of a second vehicle might be eligible for a claim.
- The test for eligibility will be "was the ignition switch defect a proximate cause of the accident," Feinberg said at a press conference.
- The two priority categories of victims include individual deaths and catastrophic injury claims.
IN-DEPTH
- GM Report: Engineer Approved 'Switch From Hell' Even Though It Didn't Meet Specs
- GM to Pay Feds Record $35 Million Fine Over Deadly Ignition Fails
- Families of GM Crash Victims Seeking Answers From Automaker
SOCIAL
--- Matthew DeLuca
