GM Faulty-Switch Trial Begins With Claim of Deadly Cover-Up
- Trial, first of many, will stress-test both sides' strategies
- GM admitted it failed to disclose fatal flaw to regulators
General Motors Co. world headquarters stands in Detroit.
Photographer: Jeff Kowalsky/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
General Motors Co. found a deadly flaw in its ignition switches but chose to keep customers and regulators in the dark for years, a lawyer for an injured postal carrier told jurors in the first trial over the defect.
The company also rejected a cheap fix that would have saved lives, even labeling the defect a “convenience” issue rather than a safety problem to avoid a requirement to alert the authorities, plaintiffs’ attorney Robert Hilliard said Tuesday in his opening statement in Manhattan federal court.