GM ordered new ignition switches prior to recall

General Motors placed an urgent, previously undisclosed order for new ignition switches two months before notifying the government of the safety defect that may have been responsible for nearly 200 deaths.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the order for 500,000 ignition switches was placed following a meeting of senior executives in December of 2013. GM didn’t announce a recall for the parts until February 2014.

It remains unknown what exactly was discussed at the meeting as no records were kept.

Since the formal announcement of the recall GM has established a fund to compensate victims of the faulty switches. The fund has been expanded several times over the last few months as victims continue to emerge. The program has received a total of 1772 applications for related deaths or injuries, but only 61 have been approved so far (30 deaths and 31 injuries). The automaker has allocated $400 million to pay victims and families.

The first wrongful death suit against GM will move forward in January, 2016. The recalls have also prompted lawsuits from owners of affected vehicles who are seeking compensation for value lost due to perceived safety hazards.