American auto makers are back in the news after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration fined General Motors (GM) for not being upfront about known safety defects in some of their motor vehicles. GM agreed to pay a $35 million penalty for its failures and delayed recalls, and will make significant internal changes to policies on how safety defects will be handled in the future. GM will also be subject to increased U.S. oversight for up to three years.

GM’s case is yet another instance of a major manufacturer being fined for failing to put consumer safety first. Instead, many of these large corporations place profits over people – and as a result, many consumers suffer preventable harm. For example, Toyota recently faced a criminal fine for concealing known acceleration defects in vehicles. Because of Toyota’s negligence and failures, several victims died as a result, including one San Diego family.

As consumers, many of us place our trust in our vehicles and their manufacturers and are led to believe that they are safe. When consumers are harmed as a result of the negligence or wrongful acts of auto makers, they may have a right to recover their damages by filing a personal injury claim.

If you are planning to travel over the Memorial Day Weekend, or simply stay home and celebrate the holiday, do so safely and enjoy. Our legal team at Norman Taylor & Associates is here to help anyone who would like to learn more about their legal rights.