In May 2022, German carmaker Volkswagen closed a settlement agreement that has them paying around £193 million to over 91,000 car owners in England and Wales. Considered the UK’s largest group action settlement, the agreement is linked to the Dieselgate diesel emissions scandal that started in 2015.
Drivers of Audi, Škoda, SEAT, and Volkswagen diesel vehicles are to receive approximately £2,100 each. This is separate from the £26 billion that the VW Group has already spent for payouts to drivers from across the world. The carmaker was also ordered to pay millions for affected drivers’ additional expenses, including legal fees. As such, each driver is expected to receive a total payout of £3,000 each.
Had the case not been settled out of court, VW and the drivers would have gone to court for a lengthy trial last January. It would have been more expensive in the long run.
Despite issuing an apology to their customers and ensuring that they were doing their best to gain the public’s trust, Volkswagen firmly denied that the settlement was an admission of guilt or that they did something wrong. However, as they are trying their best to recover from the after-effects of the 2015 scandal, the carmaker considers the settlement a major development.
What Dieselgate was all about
The Dieselgate scandal started when US authorities accused the Volkswagen Group of using defeat devices in VW and Audi diesel vehicles that were sold in the U.S. automotive market. The devices helped detect when a vehicle was in testing, and they would lower emissions to levels within the legal limit. So the vehicle would appear to be environmentally safe.
When the vehicle was taken out for real-world road driving, however, it emitted extra high levels of toxic NOx or nitrogen oxide emissions. The amount of emission was often 40 times more than the legal limits. This means that the vehicle is high-polluting and dangerous.
VW recalled all the affected vehicles as ordered by US authorities. Through the years, the company has paid various fines, compensation, and fees totalling billions.
Aside from Volkswagen, many other carmakers have been embroiled in the scandal, including Ford, Volvo, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW. Peugeot, Nissan, Renault, and Jaguar are also on the list of alleged defeat device-using carmakers.
Now that Volkswagen has settled with affected drivers, other car owners are hopeful. Vauxhall drivers, for example, are looking forward to settling with the British carmaker.
Authorities believe that the carmakers are responsible for the inconveniences that the defeat device has brought to car owners. If the cases against them are proven, they have then effectively misled their customers into thinking that the vehicles sold were emissions-compliant and worth the premium price that the consumers paid. Instead, drivers went around the UK in vehicles that exposed them and the public to life-threatening emissions.
Carmakers valued profit and never thought of the comfort and safety of their customers.
Dangerous NOx emissions
The life-threatening emissions carmakers exposed the public to are called nitrogen oxide or NOx. This group of gases primarily has nitrogen dioxide or NO2 and nitric oxide or NO. As NOx is highly reactive, it can form smog and acid rain, and it also produces pollutants, such as vegetation-destroying ground-level ozone.
Being exposed to nitrogen oxide can lead to mental health conditions, the most common of which are anxiety and depression. Cognitive abilities may also weaken, so vulnerability to dementia, especially Alzheimer’s disease, is higher.
The most dangerous impacts, however, are on a person’s health. Here are the common conditions that can be life-changing:
- Asthma
- Laryngospasm
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (a combination of different lung-related illnesses)
- Pulmonary oedema (liquid has filled the lungs)
- Asphyxiation
- Cardiovascular disease
- Certain cancers
- Premature death
In 2013, the whole of the UK mourned the untimely death of Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debra, a nine-year-old who had a severe asthma attack after months of consecutive hospital visits. Ella lived in the South Circular Road area; one of London’s most polluted places. She was exposed to high levels of NOx emissions as she walked to school regularly.
Authorities ordered an inquest into Ella’s death to determine the real cause of her early death. The coroner completed the inquiry in December 2020 and formally identified air pollution as the primary cause of the young girl’s demise.
To prevent similar incidents from happening, Volkswagen, Vauxhall, and other carmakers should face the consequences of their illegal actions. Affected drivers should bring them to court and file a diesel claim.
How can my diesel claim help?
A diesel claim is legal action that allows affected car owners like you to claim compensation without spending a thing. The case can be a single or individual claim or a group action where hundreds or thousands of claims are joined together in one case.
However, before you can start any legal action against your carmaker, you must verify first that you are qualified to be compensated by your carmaker. Visit Emissions.co.uk and get all the details you need to support your eligibility. Visit their website here – https://www.emissions.co.uk/manufacturers/vauxhall/
After ensuring your eligibility, hire an emissions expert to help you start your emission claim in the right direction. Remember, you are not required to pay anything to bring forward a claim.