General
Motors Settles in Auto Defect Claim; Plaintiff Claimed Laminated
Sidelites Would Have Protected Him
General Motors Corp. has agreed to an out-of-court settlement in
a case in which the plaintiff claimed his automobile accident injuries
were caused by the defendant's use of tempered sidelites, rather
than laminated, in the GMC Yukon in which he was riding, according
to Bisnar Chase Consumer Attorneys LLC.
Bisnar Chase represented Michael Samardzich in the case, filed
in the Superior Court of California in the county of Los Angeles.
The accident in which Samardzvich was involved occurred on July
7, 2006. The vehicle was struck on the passenger side, on which
the plaintiff was riding, and the impact shattered the passenger
window of the vehicle. The tempered glass from which the window
was made shattered, and the glass shards pierced Samardzich's left
eye, permanently blinding him, according to Bisnar Chase.
"Had General Motors used laminated glass instead of the less-expensive
tempered glass, the side passenger window of the GMC truck would
not have shattered and would not have caused permanent and serious
personal injury to Samardzich," says John Bisnar, founder and partner
at Bisnar Chase.
Bisnar adds, "It is Mr. Samardzich's hope that his lawsuit helps
encourage General Motors to build safer vehiclese and thereby prevents
others from suffering a similar injury."
Officials from General Motors Corp. were unavailable for comment.
CLICK
HERE for a look at the use of plastic sidelites from the January/April
2001 issue of AGRR. Be sure to watch for the May/June 2008
issue, which will include an update on the growing use of plastic
sidelites.
CLICK
HERE for related story involving the 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe.
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