The number of fatalities linked to accidents caused by defective General Motors ignition switches have more than doubled from the number claimed by the automaker less than a month ago.

The latest report shows that an administrator has now granted eligibility for 27 claims from people who say the defective part was responsible for the death of a loved one.

Before the automaker began soliciting claims from people who believe that the switch was responsible for accidents, General Motors claimed that the faulty switches were linked to thirteen deaths.

In addition to the 27 fatalities, four other claims from accidents resulting in quadriplegia, paraplegia, double amputation, permanent brain damage or pervasive burns have been granted.

The program is also granting 21 claims for injuries requiring hospitalization.

1371 claims have been submitted so far. 178 of those claims involve death. The remaining claims are being processed over the next few weeks. All claims must be submitted by December 31.

The GM Ignition Compensation Claims Resolution Facility was established to compensate automobile accident victims killed or physically injured as a result of defective GM ignition switches.

Those eligible to file a claim must meet the following criteria:

Applicants must have been a driver, passenger, pedestrian or an occupant of another vehicle involved in an accident resulting in physical injury or death allegedly as a result of an Ignition Switch Defect involving one of the following categories of vehicles:

Production Part Vehicles

(Ignition Switch Recall Repair was not Performed Prior to the Accident)

• Chevrolet Cobalt (Model Years 2005-2007)

• Chevrolet HHR (Model Years 2006-2007)

• Daewoo G2X (Model Year 2007)

• Opel/Vauxhall GT (Model Year 2007)

• Pontiac G4 (Model Years 2005-2006)

• Pontiac G5 (Model Year 2007)

• Pontiac Pursuit (Model Years 2005-2006)

• Pontiac Solstice (Model Years 2006-2007)

• Saturn Ion (Model Years 2003-2007)

• Saturn Sky (Model Year 2007)

Service Part Vehicles

(Ignition Switch was Replaced by a Dealer or Independent Service Center with an Ignition Switch bearing Part Number 10392423 and the accident occurred after such replacement of the Ignition Switch and prior to the Ignition Switch Recall Repair (as defined in the Protocol))

• Chevrolet Cobalt (Model Years 2008-2010)

• Chevrolet HHR (Model Years 2008-2011)

• Daewoo G2X (Model Years 2008-2009)

• Opel/Vauxhall GT (Model Years 2008-2010)

• Pontiac G5 (Model Years 2008-2010)

• Pontiac Solstice (Model Years 2008-2010)

• Saturn Sky (Model Years 2008-2010)

GM has recalled 2.6-million vehicles as a result of the defective switch.

More information on the compensation program may be found by following this link.