Lawsuit that exposed GM's failure to disclose ignition switch problem settled for 2nd time
A Georgia lawsuit that helped expose General Motors' failure to disclose a deadly defect in small-car ignition switches has been settled out of court for a second time.
Lawyers representing the parents of crash victim Brooke Melton announced the settlement Friday morning, but did not reveal the terms.
Engineers hired by Melton's lawyers in the case found that GM modified the switches after finding problems, but failed to disclose that to government safety investigators.
The 29-year-old Melton died in a 2010 crash when the switch in her Chevrolet Cobalt slipped out of the run position. The lawsuit alleged the car's engine shut down, causing her to skid into another vehicle.
Melton's parents initially settled the case for $5 million, but sought to reopen it last May.