Judge reopens GM ignition-death case

NEW YORK — A Georgia judge has denied a motion by General Motors Co. to dismiss a wrongful-death case against the automaker and set a trial date for April 2016.

The family of Brooke Melton, a 29-year-old nurse who died in a 2010 car crash near Atlanta, sued GM, alleging that a faulty ignition switch in her 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt unexpectedly shut off the engine, causing her to lose control of the car.

They settled last year with GM for $5 million, but the case exposed how GM let millions of cars stay on the road even after discovering ignition switch flaws linked to at least 13 deaths.

The Meltons filed a new complaint in May that GM fraudulently concealed evidence during the first case.

Meanwhile, GM had filed for dismissal of the case because they said it had already been settled, but that was denied on Saturday.

“We continue to believe that the parties reached a good faith settlement last year and that the court’s prior order dismissing all claims against GM with prejudice after that settlement prevents plaintiffs from pursuing the same claims a second time,” GM said in a statement.

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