GM ignition switch death toll increases to 74

A man walks past a row of General Motors vehicles at a Chevrolet dealership on Woodward Avenue in Detroit, Michigan April 1, 2014. REUTERS/Rebecca Cook·Reuters· (Reuters)

(Reuters) - General Motors Co <GM.N> has seven more claims eligible for compensation for deaths due to accidents caused by faulty ignition switches, taking the total to 74, according to the official administering the company's compensation program.

Lawyer Kenneth Feinberg determined that a total of 200 claims, including 11 severely injured and 115 who were hospitalized, are eligible for compensation, as of March 20. (http://bit.ly/1pQoKW7)

He began evaluating the claims and determining compensation after GM received 475 claims for deaths, 289 for catastrophic injuries and 3,578 for less-serious injuries requiring hospitalization, through a Jan. 31 deadline.

Feinberg's report said 1,025 claims had been deemed ineligible, while 1,326 were under review. Applications for 1,075 claims lacked sufficient paperwork or evidence, and 716 had no documentation at all.

GM has set aside an initial $400 million to cover compensation costs.

(Reporting by Rohit T. K. in Bengaluru; Editing by Joyjeet Das)

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