CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (June 10, 2014) — Thomas J. Henry Injury Attorneys, a national injury firm handling more than 1,100 General Motors Co. recall cases across the U.S., claims the car maker's internal failures are far beyond what was represented in the “Valukas Report” released by GM last week.
On June 5 former U.S. Attorney Anton Valukas released the findings of his internal investigation into GM's handling of the ignition switch recall that has been linked to numerous accidents, injuries and deaths over the last 10 years. His report faulted GM for its delayed handling of the recall but, according to the Henry law firm, did not find any evidence of a cover-up on the part of the company.
“We believe there is way more hidden than what is outlined in this report,” lead attorney Thomas J. Henry said of the Valukas report.
The attorney claimed the law firm Jenner & Block, where Mr. Valukas works, “has extensive ties to GM; several Jenner & Block attorneys, including Valukas, have represented the company in the past.”
He also noted that “several news reports have speculated that the relationship between Valukas, Jenner & Block and GM would prohibit Valukas from providing an ‘unvarnished' report regarding GM's failings in the ignition switch recall.”
“There is no way this report was unbiased,” Mr. Henry said. “The very people hired to conduct the investigation have ties to GM and have a stake in the outcome of the inquiry.”
The cover page of the Valukas Report has an attorney client privilege disclaimer on it, he continued. “Only a complete waiver of that privilege would help us to have a true understanding of who knew of these fatal defects and when they knew—from board members to the president, and all past and current executive officers.”
The Henry law firm said that during a press conference addressing the Valukas Report, GM CEO Mary Barra stated the auto maker would be compensating victims and families affected by the recall.
“The biggest concern I have is GM deceiving victims who opt in for the Victim Compensation Fund, that's why we've been pushing for compensation concepts that make more sense for the individuals who were injured and the families who have lost loved ones in accidents involving recalled GM vehicles,” Mr. Henry said in a press release.
His personal injury firm — which has representing injured victims nationwide for more than 25 years—is representing GM recall victims in nearly every state in the U.S. The firm said it specializes in wrongful death, on-the-job injury, child injury, pharmaceutical litigation, product liability, catastrophic injury, and company vehicle and 18-wheeler accident cases.