If You Owned or Leased a GM Vehicle that was Subject to Certain 2014 Recalls, You May Have Rights and Choices in a Proposed Settlement

SEATTLE, May 20, 2024 /CNW/ -- A proposed class settlement of economic loss claims by persons who owned or leased certain GM vehicles that were recalled in 2014 has been submitted for approval to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice and the Superior Court of Quebec. The recalls involved the Delta ignition switch, key rotation, Camaro Knee-Key and/or electric power steering. The plaintiffs claim that consumers overpaid when they bought or leased these vehicles. General Motors LLC ("New GM") and General Motors of Canada Company (formerly General Motors of Canada Limited) ("GM Canada") deny these allegations. The plaintiffs, New GM and GM Canada have agreed to a settlement to avoid the risk and cost of further litigation.

The proposed settlement class includes all persons resident in Canada (individuals, businesses and organizations) who, at any time on or before GM's announcement of the 2014 recalls, owned, purchased, and/or leased a vehicle subject to any of the recalls in any of the provinces/territories in Canada. Daily rental fleet businesses, governmental entities and certain other persons are not included in the settlement class. Go to www.GMIgnitionSwitchSettlement.ca, or call 1-888-995-0291, to see if your GM vehicle is covered by the settlement.

If approved, the settlement fund will be CA$12 million. Payment amounts to eligible settlement class members will vary depending on which recall applied to their vehicle, the amount of administrative expenses, taxes and any honoraria payments, and the number of settlement class members who file claims.

For details about the settlement, including the money that may be available to settlement class members, and your eligibility to file a claim and receive a payment, review the Long Form Notice and the Settlement Agreement available at www.GMIgnitionSwitchSettlement.ca. If the settlement is approved, you will be required to submit a claim online or by mail on or before the deadline which will be posted on the website.

Settlement class members have other options too. The settlement will not include the release of any claims for personal injury (and related family/dependent claims), wrongful death or actual physical property damage. However, if you want to keep your right to sue New GM, GM Canada and certain other released parties about the economic loss claims, you must exclude yourself from the class. If you exclude yourself, you cannot receive benefits provided by the settlement. Your exclusion request must be sent to the Settlement Administrator and postmarked on or before July 19, 2024. IF YOU DO NOT EXCLUDE YOURSELF AND THE SETTLEMENT IS APPROVED, YOU WILL BE BOUND BY THE RELEASE, WAIVER AND COVENANT NOT TO SUE. Get advice from your lawyer about deadlines for individual lawsuits.

If you stay in the settlement class, you may object to the settlement - that is, tell the Ontario Superior Court of Justice or the Superior Court of Quebec why you don't like the settlement. Your objection must be postmarked or emailed on or before July 19, 2024. Information about how to exclude yourself or object to the settlement is available at www.GMIgnitionSwitchSettlement.ca.

The Ontario Superior Court of Justice will hold a hearing on July 30, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. (Eastern Time) (virtual only), and the Superior Court of Quebec will hold a hearing July 31, 2024 at 9:30 a.m. (Eastern Time) (virtual or in-person), to consider whether to approve the settlement. You may appear at the hearings either yourself or through a lawyer hired by you, but you do not have to do so. Links to attend the hearings virtually will be posted at www.GMIgnitionSwitchSettlement.ca closer to the hearing dates.

The legal fees to be paid to plaintiffs' counsel may also be approved at the hearings to approve the settlement. New GM and GM Canada have agreed to pay the legal fees and expenses of plaintiffs' counsel up to a maximum amount of CA$4,397,500.00 to be paid separately, that is, not to be deducted from the settlement fund, and which must be approved by the Courts.

For more information, call 888-995-0291 or visit www.GMIgnitionSwitchSettlement.ca. You may also contact lawyers for the Settlement Class at:

Rochon Genova LLP
Attention: Jon Sloan
[email protected]
Tel: [phone] or local [phone]
121 Richmond Street West
Suite 900
Toronto, ON M5H 2Kl

Kim Spencer McPhee Barristers P.C.
Attention: Megan B. McPhee
[email protected]
Tel: [phone]
1203-1200 Bay Street
Toronto, ON M5R 2A5

SOURCE JND Legal Administration