Canadian Class Actions Launched Regarding General Motors Ignition Switch Defects Affecting 235,855 Vehicles in Canada

TORONTO, March 20, 2014 /CNW/ - Merchant Law Group LLP announced today that their law firm has commenced Canada-wide class action against General Motors regarding growing safety concerns in respect of GM ignition-switch defects affecting 1.6 million vehicles worldwide which are allegedly linked to at least 13 accidental GM vehicle deaths and the subject of Congressional investigations.

"These class actions concern ignition switch defects affecting more than 235,000 General Motors vehicles in Canada and 1.6 million vehicles worldwide. Owners of these GM vehicles are at significant risk and can experience a sudden unexpected loss of power and engine shut down due to the ignition defect asserted in this class action.  Our class actions filed yesterday with the Courts in Ontario and Québec seeks financial compensation for affected GM vehicle owners and proper repair of these GM vehicles." said Tony Merchant, Q.C., earlier today.

In part, this national class action litigation asserts that these GM vehicles suffer from a design defect which puts drivers at risk of the ignition switch disengaging from the "ON" position to the "OFF" position while driving, resulting in:

a) loss of electrical power,

b) loss of power-steering function,

c) loss of electrical brake-assisting, and/or

d) loss of air-bag function.

For more information on the GM Ignition Class Action, please visit:  https://www.merchantlaw.com/classactions/gmignition.php

GM Models affected by the ignition switch defect include:

2005 to 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt

2006 to 2007 Chevrolet HHR

2005 to 2007 Pontiac G5

2005 to 2006 Pontiac Pursuit (sold only in Canada)

2006 to 2007 Pontiac Solstice

2003 to 2007 Saturn Ion

2006 to 2007 Saturn Sky

Merchant Law Group LLP is a leading Canadian class action firm, with 12 offices across Canada from Montreal to Victoria.  Merchant Law Group LLP is well known for pursuing class action lawsuits in Canada including litigation regarding GM Gasket Manifolds, Hip Implants, Vioxx, Hollinger, Residential Schools, and various other cases. Tony Merchant is known to be one of Canada's most active litigators with more than 600 reported cases in leading Case Law Journals, having argued thousands of cases before the Canadian and American Courts, in Trial and Administrative Courts, and the Courts of Appeal of various American and Canadian jurisdictions, the Federal Court of Canada, and the Supreme Court of Canada.

Tony Merchant, Q.C., has a long history in pursuing public policy cases and is a former elected Member of the Legislative Assembly (M.L.A.).

A copy of the class action lawsuits (as filed with the Ontario and Québec Courts) can be provided to media outlets, upon request, by e-mailing [email protected]

SOURCE: Merchant Law Group

For media inquiries, please contact Tony Merchant, Q.C., at 888-567-7777 or [email protected]; For Francophone media inquiries, please contact Me. Daniel Chung, a lawyer at our firm's Montreal office, at 514-248-7777 or [email protected]