A Volkswagen lawsuit may be the right choice for those who were affected by the diesel emissions scandal. The company is the parent company of Audi, Porsche, and Volkswagen cars sold in the U.S. Volkswagen can be sued as an individual defendant or as part of a class-action lawsuit. This article explains what the legal process looks like and how to decide whether or not to file a lawsuit. It also discusses damages and settlement options.
Volkswagen diesel emissions scandal
The legal case relating to the Volkswagen diesel emissions scandal involves the use of defeat devices in the cars’ software. While the carmakers had initially complied with emissions standards, they eventually began to cheat the system. This led to the creation of smog and acid rain, which pose immediate health hazards to people exposed to these pollutants. High levels of NOx, which are toxic air pollutants, are also linked to thousands of deaths each year.
Volkswagen’s defeat device
This lawsuit is based on allegations that Volkswagen knowingly installed a defeat device in its diesel engines to cheat emissions tests and violate federal clean air standards. Volkswagen began installing the defeat device on its vehicles around 2008 when it was preparing a new “clean diesel” engine. However, the new engine failed emissions tests, and Volkswagen installed the defeat device to trick the tests and pass the test. VW has since admitted to using the defeat device on more than 482,000 cars in the US.
Settlement
Volkswagen is appealing the court’s decision to accept a settlement of its lawsuit with a Michigan man. Oliver Schmidt was sentenced to seven years in prison and a $400,000 fine in December 2017. Another VW engineer was sentenced to prison in January 2017. Volkswagen denies any wrongdoing or violating any laws. However, the company did settle to avoid the cost and risk of litigation. This settlement releases Volkswagen of any liability for the damages suffered by the Class Members.
Damages
Volkswagen customers have stepped up to file a model lawsuit against the company and will begin negotiating the agreement on Monday. We’ll go over the process and the potential compensation you can expect. Here’s an overview of the current state of play in the Volkswagen lawsuit. This is only a brief overview, and there are other ways to pursue damages. We’ll also cover some of the other factors that will influence the settlement.
Claims
Volkswagen has been producing cars for decades, creating some of the most iconic vehicles on the road today. As such, they have attracted a large amount of backlash and consumer criticism over the years, including class-action lawsuits. These lawsuits follow claims that the automaker broke antitrust laws, overcharged consumers, and produced vehicles with faulty parts. This article will explore some of the common Volkswagen lawsuit claims and how you can get the best outcome for your claim.
Class actions
Hundreds of thousands of owners of diesel-powered cars have filed class-action lawsuits against Volkswagen, alleging faulty emissions. The company admitted in February that it intentionally falsified emissions test results to hide the defects. The Canadian law firm, Merchant Law Group, filed the lawsuit in September and sent it to nearly nine thousand people who subscribed to its e-mail list. The e-mails were sent to those who were affected by the recall, and it is possible to join the class action.
Individual plaintiffs
The first hearing in the Volkswagen class action began Monday in Braunschweig, Germany. This case, which the German Federation of Consumer Organisations brought on behalf of consumers, is an example of a new type of legal instrument called a declaratory model action. Similar to class actions in the US and group litigation orders in the UK, the new German legal tool enables consumers to seek collective redress for their injuries.
Multi-district litigation
Volkswagen settled the multi-district Volkswagen lawsuit in part because the Settlement Class Representatives shared a commonality of injury. The Settlement Class representatives alleged that Volkswagen misled the regulatory agencies about the true nature of Eligible Vehicles’ clean diesel engine system. Without a settlement, each Class Member would have to litigate the same issues individually. However, the Settlement Class Representatives affirmed that the Class Members and they share the same goals of redress.
