VW Recall and Emissions Settlement

Every year, many vehicles are recalled because of defects and other associated issues that warrant a recall. One of the most recent, enormous recalls revolves around the Volkswagen company for a defective emissions control system that went awry. Lawyers have recently commented on the case that, “This is not an ordinary case” and have been seeking up to $332.5 million in fees and costs for their work in a $10 billion settlement over claims that Volkswagen outfitted vehicles with software to cheat on emissions testing. But where did this all begin? Now you can have your burning questions answered regarding the case and what to do if you have one of these affected vehicles.

FAQs

Volkswagen has recently admitted to circumventing the emissions control system in nearly 550,000 vehicles that were sold in the United States since 2008. All of these vehicles are those with a 2.0-liter diesel engine such as the Beetle, Audi A3, Porsche Cayenne, Golf, Audi A6 Quattro, Golf SportWagen, Jetta, Passat, and more. However, you may wonder what would happen if you have a vehicle that is affected. You may also wonder what you can do if your vehicle is part of this enormous recall. We are there to help answer these questions for you.

Why is there a concern relating to the emissions? Simply because clean air is important, especially for drivers. Rules are put in place relating to emissions for vehicles all the time not only because of environmental benefits, but also the health of drivers. Because of the defective emissions on the Volkswagens, these vehicles were found to emit nitrogen oxides at up to 40 times the standard even when they are being driven normally. According to the EPA, this could spell out health-related issues from pollutants. This can include asthma attacks and other respiratory illnesses that are serious enough to warrant trips to the hospital. Those who are children, elderly, or have pre-existing respiratory disease could be at a high risk of these pollutants.

Does the scandal affect current owners? The cars are still safe and legal to drive and no action must be taken as of yet. However, there will be a recall to bring the existing models up to regulations. VW will compensate owners by making modifications at dealerships free of charge. In all of these cases, an additional cash compensation will be paid out to owners. If somebody has been affected health-wise, they will have the help of Kenneth Feinberg, a prominent victim compensation attorney. A claims program will be put in place for those who have been affected.

Is action being taken against VW? Yes. Because VW violated the laws, they are being punished for their actions through civil lawsuits. Attorney generals from New York, Massachusetts, and Maryland are all seeking more than $1 billion in damages.

Have you been affected drastically by a recall and sustained an injury or illness as a result? We have the experience needed to handle your case after a faulty vehicle or vehicle part caused you issues. Call us today at Maggiano, DiGirolamo & Lizzi so we can help you with your case.