Seatbelt and airbags defective, claims passenger

Diane L. Truttman claims a van's airbags and seatbelts were defective in a lawsuit filed against General Motors in St. Clair County on March 28.

According to the complaint, Truttman was a passenger in a 2004 Saturn Ion van when it was struck by another vehicle driven by James Espinosa at the intersection of Highway 159 and Fullerton Road in Swansea on Feb. 26, 2006.

Espinosa is a co-defendant in the two-count lawsuit.

Truttman, represented by Bruce Cook of Cook, Ysursa, Bartholomew, Brauer & Shevlin in Belleville, claims she sustained a shearing head and brain injury after the impact.

She is seeking in excess of $100,000 in damages.