GM ignition-switch deaths rise to 30

A program that offers financial compensation for people hurt or killed in accidents linked to defective ignition switches in General Motors vehicles has approved another death claim. That raises to 30 the number of deaths related to the faulty part.

The program, which is being administered on behalf of the automaker by attorney Kenneth Feinberg, reports having received a total of 1,580 claims for injuries.

Feinberg's office has approved 61 claims since the initiative was launched in August. Of that number, 30 involved fatal crashes, and 31 were for accidents involving serious injuries. GM for months said it had identified only 13 people who had died in crashes linked to the ignition switches.

GM has acknowledged that it knew about faulty ignition switches in Chevrolet Cobalts and other small cars for more than a decade. The company didn't start recalling 2.6 million small cars until February.

GM has recalled more than 30 million vehicles worldwide, including more than 26.5 million in the U.S., this year because of a range of problems.