Class Action Lawsuits Filed In California Over VW Emission Scandal

At least two lawsuits seeking class action status have been filed in San Diego and Los Angeles over Volkswagen tampering with emissions testing on VW and Audi models in order to deceive regulators.

According to an NBC news report, an Audi owner filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court seeking class-action status for all California residents who bought or leased a Volkswagen with a diesel engine or a diesel-powered Audi A3 between 2009 and 2015.

Several Lawsuits Filed

The lawsuit, filed by the dealer The Car Factory, seeks damages over the loss of value of used Volkswagens. The suit states independent dealers are not being afforded the same protections or reimbursement as official VW dealers.

Several dozen lawsuits have been filed across the country after last week’s announcement by regulators that the German automaker installed a component that switched to a clean driving mode during smog tests, but reverted to higher emissions when testing was done.

Additionally, at least 27 state attorneys general are opening a multi-state investigation into Volkswagen. California is among the participating states.

Emissions Testing

There are now rising concerns about the wisdom of allowing automakers have so much say in how air pollution standards are enforced. In the United States, automakers conduct their own emissions tests and submit the results to the government.

In Europe, automakers select who conducts the tests and where they are done. Volkswagen has admitted installing software in 11 million vehicles that was used to provide false results about emissions.

Class Action Lawsuits

As consumer attorneys, we are especially concerned about the manner in which Volkswagen seems to have deceived consumers as well as the authorities by installing the component to provide false emission test results. A number of consumers have suffered a loss because their vehicles have instantly dropped in value.

We can be fairly certain that no one in Volkswagen will be arrested or criminally prosecuted in connection with this fraudulent action. Instead, they may pay a very large fine to the government. They may or may not admit fault. This is the way our system works. So where’s justice here? Where is accountability?

This is where class action lawsuits come in. They are the last resort for the average citizen who has been wronged by a large corporation.

The average citizen does not have the high-powered legal team or millions of dollars to dole out in legal fees. But he or she has the will to pursue justice and the class action is a weapon in the arsenal of the little guy.

We hope officials globally continue to investigate Volkswagen and hold them accountable for this wrongdoing. If you have been affected by this issue, please contact an experienced California class action attorney for more information about pursuing your legal rights.