Car emissions scandals: emissions pay-outs

In recent years, a series of car emissions scandals have affected thousands of owners across the globe, beginning in 2015 with the revelation that Volkswagen was suspected of using ‘defeat devices’ to allow their vehicles to cheat emissions tests. Since then, several major car manufacturers have been levelled with similar allegations, and we have taken on many clients in our endeavour to help them win emissions pay-outs.

At The Car Emissions Lawyers, we are determined to help anyone affected by a car emissions scandal to access the compensation which they could be legally entitled to claim. Over the years, we have been representing victims in group actions against manufacturers including Porsche, Jaguar Land Rover and Mercedes, to name but a few.

The law – why you could be eligible to claim for emissions pay-outs

Many car owners may take emission levels for granted when purchasing a car, or not even consider this factor at all. Indeed, EU regulations are there to ensure consumers do not have to think about emissions, as they impose pollutant limits on car manufacturers from a higher authority.

As such, even if emissions were not on your radar when you bought your car, you could still be entitled to receive emissions pay-outs, as you may have been mis-sold the vehicle on the basis that the emissions levels were within regulations.

The CPUT and potential compensation amounts

Aside from your basic consumer rights, which can protect you from mis-sold products and services, there is another method of claiming via which thousands more in emissions pay-outs could be accessed. For instance, The Car Emissions Lawyers previously estimated that Mercedes owners in possession of cheating vehicles, if allegations are proven, could be entitled to as much as £96,000. This may seem like a bold claim, but the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 could be applied to allow huge emissions pay-outs of such amounts.

This is because the CPUT can entitle customers to a percentage of the amount paid for their vehicle, which could range from 25% to 100% in the case of emissions cheating. At The Car Emissions Lawyers, we evaluate each claim on an individual basis to determine if the CPUT applies to your case, and what percentage we believe you could be eligible to claim for using CPUT. In this sense, we make sure to explore every possible option available to our clients to make sure that their claims are not undervalued.

The wider impact of cheating emissions tests

While we are motivated to make sure our clients achieve personal compensation, it must be recognised that the car emissions scandals may have caused damage that extends far beyond each individual claim. The potential wider health and environmental consequences of the emissions scandals must not be underestimated: not only are excessive car emissions capable of causing or exacerbating severe respiratory conditions, they can also be damaging for our wildlife. As such, the larger the emissions pay-outs, the greater the punishment for unethical car manufacturers, where allegations are proven to be true.

At the Car Emissions Lawyers, we believe that it is important to hold car manufacturers to account for the manifold impacts of cheating emissions tests, where this has taken place. If you wish to join the ranks of the thousands of people already pursuing emissions pay-outs, please do not hesitate to contact us for no-obligation advice about your potential claim.