GM has spent millions to settle claims of death and injury caused by defective ignition switches on some older cars. But hundreds of lawsuits are still being pursued. General Motors won a judge’s ruling that the lawsuits would be blocked because the defect was before the GM bankruptcy, and bankruptcy shielded the newly-organized company from problems caused by the old company. An appeals court in New York reversed the ruling, because some inside GM knew about the problem before the bankruptcy, but kept it secret. The Supreme Court let that ruling stand. The outstanding lawsuits can now go ahead.