45 Million Vehicles on the Road are Recalled but Not Fixed

At least 45 million vehicles - about one in six licensed to operate on U.S. roads - suffers from an unrepaired safety problem subject to an outstanding recall. In fact, the figure could be millions higher, according to new research by J.D. Power and Associates, but it can be difficult to track compliance rates on older recalls.
The study is in line with other recent research and reflects the fact that the U.S. has seen an explosion in safety-related recalls in recent years for everything from improperly inflated tires to airbags that can overinflate in a crash, spewing deadly shrapnel into the passenger compartments. There have been faulty ignition switches, leaky gas tanks and corrosion-prone vehicles that can drop bumpers and parts into the path of traffic.

The number of vehicles being targeted by recalls continues to grow at or near record rates. One reason is that NHTSA has adopted a much tougher policy on safety problems in the wake of scandals like the GM ignition switches, Toyota's unintended acceleration issues, Fiat Chrysler's problem with Jeep fires, and the Takata airbag mess. The latter could eventually come to encompass more than 50 million vehicles.

And that reveals another reason why recalls are growing larger, on average, while repair rates lag. In recent decades, manufacturers have put a premium on so-called "economies of scale." And that means they routinely share things like airbags, brakes and other mechanical components. So, where a recall might once have affected a single model and perhaps 10,000 vehicles, it may now cover millions, even tens of millions of vehicles, like the Takata airbag problem.

Vehicle malfunctions are preventable, so are the injuries and fatalities they cause. The Pisanchyn Law Firm has recently held GM responsible for their faulty ignition switches resulting in a $1.9 million settlement for the family of a Dunmore man after years of GM denying any wrong-doing. According to Attorney Michael Pisanchyn, “GM clearly knew there was a problem with the ignition switch. They were getting reports of deaths quite often. It came down to they put corporate profits over peoples’ lives.”

If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of a car recall or a vehicle malfunction call our accident attorneys now for a free consultation, 1-800-444-5309.

Make sure your car is safe

The NHTSA now requires all manufacturers to make it easy for owners to check if their vehicles are subject to an outstanding recall. You'll find that on their public websites, as well as the government's own, SaferCars.gov. You'll just need the Vehicle Identification Number, or VIN. You can find it on your registration, as well as on a tag at the base of the windshield.

Jeep Recall Notice Received 7 Days After Celebrity's Death

Anton Yelchin, Star Trek Actor, Received Jeep Recall Notice 7 Days After His Death

A recall notice for a Jeep Grand Cherokee was mailed to actor Anton Yelchin seven days after he was killed in a freak roll away accident. Fiat Chrysler recalled more than 800,000 vehicles in April, after receiving hundreds of rollaway complaints.


The shifter in 2014 and 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokees operates like a joystick, returning to the same position no matter what gear the vehicle is in. Some drivers have become confused and exited the vehicle while it is still in gear, leading it to roll away.

Yelchin died on June 19 when he was pinned by his vehicle against an entrance post at his Studio City home. The LAPD and Fiat Chrysler are still investigating the death, but it appears that it could be the first fatality related to the rollaway issue.

As of late June, the NHTSA was aware of some 700 complaints regarding the issue, including 266 crashes and 68 injuries.

Vehicle malfunctions are preventable. So are the injuries & fatalities these errors cause. Call our Pennsylvania accident attorneys at 1-800-444-5309 if you or a loved one have been injured, or you have lost a loved one, due to a vehicle recall.

Visit pisanchynlawfirm.com for more information on vehicle malfunction accidents and vehicle recalls.

GM Recall Case Settles for $1.9 Million

Pisanchyn Law Firm Fights for Justice Against GM

By TERRIE MORGAN-BESECKER
Published: April 28, 2016

Joan Occulto always suspected a mechanical problem caused the 2007 car crash that killed her grandson, but no one believed her.

The pain of losing Louis McHale, 30, was torture enough for the Dunmore grandmother. He left behind three young sons.

Her pain worsened from the innuendoes and rumors that the crash was her grandson’s fault.
It took nearly eight years, but Mrs. Occulto, 75, said her grandson finally is vindicated as GM agreed Tuesday to approve a claim she and her husband, Frank, 83, filed. Their claim alleged a faulty ignition switch, that unexpectedly shut off his car, impaired the steering and forced him to lose control, caused the crash.

The settlement, negotiated by attorney Michael Pisanchyn of Scranton, comes from a fund GM set up to compensate victims of the defective switch. Terms of the settlement are confidential, but public documents related to the claims process reveal family members will be paid at least $1 million in damages, plus $300,000 for each dependent. That equates to at least $1.9 million for Mr. McHale’s family.

While the money certainly will help the family, it’s not what motivated Mrs. Occulto to pursue the case.

“The money means nothing to me. It can’t bring my grandson back,” she said. “I wanted to clear his name. … It was General Motors’ fault. They took my grandson away from his sons.”

The settlement is among at least three GM reached involving Lackawanna County families in the past two years. In October 2014, GM settled a case filed by Leo and Mary Theresa Ruddy, whose daughter, Kelly Erin Ruddy, was killed in 2010. In June 2105, it settled a case filed by Richard and Laura Miller over the 2014 death of their son, James Miller. Both of those lawsuits were filed by attorney Larry Moran of Lenahan and Dempsey in Scranton.

The claims were among more than 4,000 filed that sought compensation from a special fund GM set up in June 2014 to compensate victims. The fund paid out $594.5 million for 399 claims, including 124 deaths, according to a final report issued in December by attorney Kenneth Feinberg, who administered the fund.

GM acknowledged it knew about problems with the ignition switches in several of its models for at least a decade before it began recalling the vehicles in February 2014.

James Cain, a spokesman for GM, said the company’s settlement of cases does not mean it admits that that the ignition switch failed or was the cause of a particular crash. He noted that, in deciding whether to approve a claim, Mr. Feinberg did not undertake any engineering analysis or consider legal defenses GM had in the cases, including statute of limitations and contributory negligence of the drivers.

“We faced the ignition switch issue with integrity, dignity and clear determination to do the right thing both in the short and long term,” Mr. Cain said in an email Thursday.

In Mr. McHale’s case, he was killed and his passenger, Audrey Evans of Scranton, was injured after he lost control of his 2003 Saturn Ion on Interstate 81 in Kline Twp. on Sept. 9, 2007. The car struck a rock embankment and rolled twice, ejecting both occupants. Mr. McHale left behind three sons, ages 6, 8 and 11 at the time of his death.

Mrs. Occulto said she contacted several law firms shortly after the crash and asked them to look into the case, but all declined. She gave up hope of ever proving a mechanical failure was to blame. Then she got a recall notice at her Elm Street home in July 2014 regarding the ignition switch.
“Then I knew something was wrong with the car,” she said.

Even with the new information, Mrs. Occulto said she still had trouble finding an attorney to take the case.

Mr. Pisanchyn said the case presented significant challenges, including that the statute of limitations to sue had expired years ago. Mr. McHale’s vehicle also was no longer available, so it would be hard to prove the ignition switch caused the crash. He said he decided to take the case because he strongly believed GM should be held accountable.

“GM clearly knew there was a problem with the ignition switch. They were getting reports of deaths quite often,” he said. “It came down to they put corporate profits over peoples’ lives.”
Mr. Pisanchyn said GM initially rejected Mrs. Occulto’s claim. It reconsidered the decision after attorney Douglas Yazinski consulted with auto safety experts and obtained photos police took of Mr. McHale’s car that showed the airbags did not deploy — a key indicator that the ignition was in the “off” position when the crash occurred.

“The pictures really made a difference in our case. It put GM’s feet to the fire,” Mr. Pisanchyn said.
Mrs. Occulto said she’s thankful the case is resolved. For years, she and her great-grandchildren dealt with rumors about the crash. It’s a relief to have the truth out, she said, but she can’t help but feel bitter toward GM.

“For a 35-cent part, my grandson died,” she said.