GM Back in the Hot Seat: Seat Belt Verdict Wiped Out, Case Starts Over

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General Motors will once again have to defend itself in a high-profile seat belt case. A judge in Clark County, Nevada, has ordered a new trial in the lawsuit brought by Allie Mead against GM. Jurors had previously returned a verdict in favor of the automaker, but that result has now effectively been thrown out.

The case stems from a 2018 crash. Mead was riding in a 1998 Chevrolet and was wearing a two-point lap belt. She suffered serious injuries in the accident and argued that the belt’s design was defective. Her side maintained that a three-point belt was both a safer and economically feasible option at the time the vehicle was manufactured.

In November 2025, a jury sided with GM. The automaker insisted that the vehicle complied with the safety standards of its day and that the belt was not defective. However, the court has now ordered a new trial: the judge concluded that GM’s legal team repeatedly violated pretrial orders and effectively undermined the fairness of the first proceedings. The court also denied General Motors’ request to recover legal costs from the plaintiff.

GM does not agree with the ruling. For that reason, it is too early to write about the company’s liability: the dispute has not been resolved on the merits.