MARSHALL - A DeKalb resident is suing General Motors after her car's air bag failed to deploy and she sustained serious injuries when she hit the steering wheel.
Regina Matthews and Tex Matthews filed suit against GM on Sept. 23 in the Eastern District of Texas, Marshall Division.
The accident occurred on April 22 as Regina Matthews was driving a 2004 Chevrolet Venture minivan westbound on FM 1804 near FM 990, when she lost control of her vehicle.
She states she sustained serious injuries when her vehicle failed to protect her. Matthews claims the vehicle's air bag failed to deploy which permitted her to slam into the steering wheel.
The defendant is accused of negligence in the design, manufacture, assembly, marketing, and testing of the vehicle. Matthews states that GM knew that the vehicle violated the principles of crashworthiness by not providing proper restraint, failing to provide adequate occupant protection and by failing to provide adequate restraint.
The lawsuit also states that the vehicle's airbag failed to deploy in a crash well above the deployment threshold which is a manufacturing defect and that the seatbelt failed to lock up and permitted the restrained occupant to slam into the steering ram.
Matthews is seeking damages for pain and suffering, emotional distress, mental anguish, impairment, disfigurement, loss of consortium, interference with daily activities, reduced capacity to enjoy life, medical expenses, lost wages, interest and court costs.
The plaintiffs are represented by E. Todd Tracy and I. Scott Lidji of The Tracy Firm in Dallas.
U.S. District Judge T. John Ward is assigned to the case.
Case No. 2:11-cv-00429