A New York federal judge last week said the driver in an upcoming trial over ignition switches has reached a confidential settlement with General Motors. In a recent trial, a federal jury found that a GM ignition switch did not cause an Arizona driver to rear-end another car in Tucson morning traffic.
Attorneys for both parties reached a confidential settlement stemming from the 2013 accident, when the defendant said her car unexpectedly lost power. This trial was to be one of six planned "phase two" trials, part of a multi-year litigation over the issue.
In July, courts ruled in favor of GM in the Arizona case where a driver blamed a faulty ignition switch for causing the crash.
Last March, a jury found for GM again, in a Louisiana case, saying vehicles were unreasonably dangerous but didn't find that their injuries were caused by their car.
GM has signed a deferred-prosecution agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice for these cases, and paid a $900 million fine in 2015.
A spokesman for GM declined comment this week.
