A malfunctioning airbag has led to a lawsuit against a major automobile manufacturer and a local dealership. John Wilk and his wife, Margaret Wilk, filed the complaint in the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania on October 23, 2023, naming General Motors LLC and CHAP Properties, Inc., trading as 62 Motors, as defendants.
The plaintiffs allege that John Wilk purchased a 2010 Chevrolet Silverado from 62 Motors in late 2017. On October 23, 2023, while driving in Pittsburgh, the side airbags of the vehicle spontaneously deployed without any collision or sudden deceleration. This unexpected deployment caused severe injuries to John Wilk's head, left shoulder, and torso. The complaint asserts that General Motors is responsible for designing and manufacturing the defective airbag system and that CHAP Properties failed to inspect or warn about potential defects before selling the vehicle.
The lawsuit includes multiple counts: strict liability, negligence, breach of warranty by General Motors LLC, loss of consortium by Margaret Wilk due to her husband's injuries, and property damage. The plaintiffs claim that the airbag system was defectively designed and manufactured by General Motors LLC and sold without adequate warnings or quality assurance measures. They argue that these failures directly resulted in John Wilk's injuries.
John Wilk seeks compensation for his physical injuries, pain and suffering, medical expenses, lost earnings and earning capacity, impaired health and vitality, disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of life. Margaret Wilk claims damages for the loss of her husband's companionship and support as well as additional medical expenses incurred due to his injuries. Additionally, they seek compensation for property damage amounting to $4,152.32 for repairs to their vehicle.
The plaintiffs are represented by Edward J. Balzarini Jr., Esq., from Balzarini & Watson law firm based in Pittsburgh. The case has been assigned Case ID No. [not provided] with proceedings overseen by judges from the Civil Division of Allegheny County Court.