1st case to be tried over faulty switch

NEW YORK — A civil trial set to start this month in New York City will test the legal boundaries of hundreds of claims remaining against General Motors Co. stemming from faulty ignition switches.

The trial, which starts Jan. 11, involves an Oklahoma man who blames a defective ignition switch for preventing his air bags from deploying during a crash. It’s the first trial to result from hundreds of lawsuits filed against GM after the auto giant revealed in 2014 that faulty ignition switches in Chevy Cobalts and other small cars necessitated an unprecedented recall. The switches can slip out of the “on” position, causing the cars to stall, knocking out power steering and turning off air bags.

GM knew about the faulty switches for more than a decade but did not recall them until February 2014. The company paid nearly $600 million to settle 399 claims made to a fund it established. Those claims covered 124 deaths and 275 injuries, though GM’s fund rejected more than 90 percent of the 4,343 claims it received, according to figures the company released in December.

In recent weeks, U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman, an appointee of President Barack Obama, has made rulings that may prevent the automaker from taking the easy road toward settling or forcing dismissal of scores of lawsuits.

The judge has refused the company’s request to exclude evidence and arguments related to punitive damages.