In 2015, Volkswagen, one of the biggest companies in the world, was involved in a scandal that cost billions of dollars and stunned the automotive industry. The controversy has become known as Dieselgate. Since then, Volkswagen has paid more than £193 million to drivers in the UK who filed class actions. But the scandal goes beyond Volkswagen. Many other companies also tried to cheat emissions testing, leaving themselves vulnerable to diesel emissions claims. Discover who they are.
Although it became public only in 2015, the diesel emission scandal started developing in 2014, when the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) identified disparities between European and American models of vehicles.
A German car club investigated the matter and discovered that, under normal driving conditions, many diesel vehicles exceeded legal European emission limits for nitrogen oxide (NOx) by more than tenfold.
Less than a year later, a United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) investigation discovered that Volkswagen had deliberately programmed turbocharged direct injection (TDI) diesel engines to trigger emissions controls only during emissions testing. As a result, Volkswagen paid US$4.3 billion in penalties.
Diesel emissions claims in the United Kingdom
The scandal went beyond the United States. More than 90,000 drivers filed a class action against Volkswagen in the United Kingdom, arguing that the German company deceived them.
According to Hutcheon Law, a Liverpool-based law firm specialising in several legal claim areas, the main argument is that, if Volkswagen had not lied about their cars’ emissions levels, many drivers would not have bought it. Also, motorists paid a premium for their cars, believing they were purchasing an environmentally friendly vehicle.
Finally, as many cars had to be fixed to comply with emissions standards, the repair itself may have led to poor efficiency performance, lowering the car value and creating unpredictable extra costs. The UK class action against VW was settled in May 2022 for £193m, with motorists receiving £2,100 each on average.
Other companies may have to pay diesel emissions compensation
Since the VW investigation emerged, many other vehicle manufacturers have also been accused of fraud, such as:
- Audi, Skoda and Seat (all part of the Volkswagen Group)
- Mercedes-Benz
- BMW
- Citroen
- Ford
- Chrysler
- Fiat
- Hyundai
- Land Rover
- Mini
- Renault
- Volvo
- Vauxhall
- Porsche
- Peugeot
- Jaguar
- Nissan
- Kia
Thus, if you bought cars from one of these manufacturers between 2007 and 2020, you may be eligible to join a class action over emissions. It is important to highlight that individual legal action against car makers is almost certain to fail, since it relies on expert opinion for fact-finding.
The term “class action” refers to a large case that involves multiple parties representing a collective group. If a court rules that diesel emissions claims in the UK can proceed, each firm’s case will be combined into one lawsuit. That is why class actions are the best way forward for misled car owners.
The settlement will be evenly distributed to each plaintiff. Your compensation will be calculated based on the number of class action participants in the diesel emissions claims and the amount of the payout awarded by the judge.
Successful diesel claims in the UK can lead to thousands of pounds in compensation, as demonstrated by the VW payout, but there is no guarantee that the court will decide in favour of the claimants. Investigations are still ongoing.
Can I claim diesel emission compensation?
Hutcheon Law still accepts new clients in its diesel emissions claims, but each case is evaluated individually. It does not matter if you purchased the car new or second-hand, nor who sold it to you. You are welcome to the diesel emission claim even if you have already sold the car to a third party or if you intend to claim for a company car, provided the contract was in your name. The vehicle must have been bought in the UK, though.
How to join a claim
The process of joining diesel emissions claims is quick and easy. Hutcheon Law, for instance, provides a service that checks if potential clients are eligible for compensation. You do not have to pay anything upfront.
The Dieselgate scandal still reverberates worldwide, and many companies are being investigated to check if their emissions calculations are correct. You must join a diesel emissions claim as soon as possible to receive the compensation you may be entitled to once the investigation is complete.
