Rep. Barry Moore Introduces Bill to Aid GM Accident Victims

U.S. Representative Barry Moore (R-AL1) and Rep. Troy Carter (D-LA) are reopening a path to justice for families hurt by General Motors’ defective vehicles more than a decade ago. Their new measure, the Auto Bailout Accident Victims Recovery Act, would remove the federal statute of limitations for certain claims tied to the government’s 2009 rescue of GM.

The bill targets a narrow but significant gap in the law. In 2014, GM recalled more than 5.8 million vehicles for ignition-switch defects linked to crashes, injuries, and deaths. But a federal bankruptcy court ruled that the 2009 bailout shielded “New GM” from many lawsuits over accidents that happened before the company’s bankruptcy and restructuring, leaving victims without a legal remedy.

“For years, families who lost loved ones or suffered serious injuries because of GM’s defects have been denied justice, not because of their own actions, but because Washington chose to shield corporations instead of victims,” Rep. Moore said in a statement announcing the bill. “The Auto Bailout Accident Victims Recovery Act gives these families the chance to have their voices heard and ensure they finally receive the compensation they deserve.”

Rep. Carter called the measure a bipartisan push to “restore faith in our system by rectifying the decision that denied accident victims their rightful claims during a time of national crisis, reinforcing the principles of fairness and justice for everyone.”

The proposed law would apply to cases filed on or before July 9, 2015, effectively reviving suits that were dismissed after the bankruptcy court’s 2015 ruling upheld GM’s legal shield.

GM has previously settled some claims through a victims’ compensation fund, but critics say many families were left out. Moore and Carter argue that Congress now has the chance to correct what they see as a long-standing injustice.

The full text of the Auto Bailout Accident Victims Recovery Act is available HERE.