The first federal civil trial that General Motors has faced over its defective ignition switch ended abruptly on Friday after the plaintiff agreed to dismiss his claims. The case became troubled after allegations from G.M. cast doubt on testimony given by the plaintiff, Robert Scheuer, an Oklahoman who was injured after his 2003 Saturn Ion crashed into a tree in May 2014. On Thursday, after evidence emerged showing that Mr. Scheuer might have provided misleading testimony about his finances after the accident, Judge Jesse Furman of Federal District Court in Manhattan, the judge in the case, suggested that the parties settle or otherwise resolve the matter. The claims were was dismissed with prejudice, meaning that Mr. Scheuer will not be able to refile his claims. Mr. Scheuer agreed not to take any money on his claim, according to documents filed in court. The trial was the first of six so-called bellwether cases that the automotive company is facing. Bellwethers are often used in product-liability litigation when many people have similar claims and allow lawyers for both sides to try out legal strategies or help them determine whether to settle and for how much. The allegations in this first case, one of three that were chosen by the plaintiffs’ lawyers, made this case an “outlier,” the judge said on Thursday, implying that it would not be as useful as a model for other similar cases.
Judge Dismisses G.M.’s First Ignition Defect Case - The New York Times
