Are BMW Diesel Owners Next in Line for Compensation after This Potential Lie?

If the courts deem the allegations against them to be true, the Volkswagen Group and all other carmakers involved in the 2015 Dieselgate diesel emissions scandal deceived their customers when they sold diesel vehicles as environmentally safe. 

US authorities sent VW a notice of violation in September 2015 after they discovered that the carmaker allegedly installed defeat devices in Volkswagen and Audi diesel vehicles sold to consumers in America. The devices were meant to cheat emissions testing so that their cars and vans could be sold despite being heavy pollutants.

Volkswagen denied the allegations but recalled thousands of affected vehicles as authorities ordered. The carmaker has also spent billions of pounds on payoffs, including compensation.

Eventually, authorities discovered many other carmakers also installed cheat devices in their diesel vehicles. Mercedes-Benz also received a notice of violation from the California Air Resources Board and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the same groups that VW dealt with. Thousands of affected Mercedes vehicles were recalled and its parent company Daimler has been paying off fees, fines, and compensation for years. 

Other carmakers involved in the scandal include Renault, Porsche, Peugeot, and Citroen. UK-based Vauxhall, Nissan, Chrysler, and Hyundai also used defeat devices in their diesel vehicles. German carmaker BMW has one of the most controversial diesel emissions scandals in history as it was involved in a cartel with Daimler and Volkswagen before BMW emissions claim cases started. The three manufacturers colluded on delaying cleaner technology for toxic emissions. BMW and VW were fined but Daimler didn’t have to spend anything because they told authorities about the cartel.

What does a defeat device do?

The defeat device found in Volkswagen, Mercedes, BMW, and other diesel vehicles involved in the diesel emissions scam was made to detect regulatory tests so it could easily and artificially reduce emissions levels to within the World Health Organization’s (WHO) safe limits. Manufacturers do this so the vehicle will appear clean and emissions-compliant for the entirety of the test.

Once the vehicle is brought out of lab conditions though, it releases massive volumes of nitrogen oxide (NOx), a pollutant that causes life-threatening health effects and damages vegetation. 

Car owners who bought the defeat device-equipped vehicles had no idea that they bought high-polluting cars and vans. Their carmakers lied and told them they were buying premium high-performing, environmentally friendly vehicles. Every time they went out to drive, their vehicles contributed to more air pollution. 

Therefore, UK lawyers are encouraging affected drivers to bring a diesel claim against their carmakers.

What’s a diesel claim?

A diesel claim is a legal process that allows affected car owners to bring their carmakers to court for the environmental and health-related inconvenience the defeat device has caused them. The amount a driver can get depends on the circumstances of their case. However, compensation will only be given if the claim is successful.

According to authorities, all carmakers involved in the scandal should be held responsible for the aftermath of their cheating. Financial expert Martin Lewis tackled the issue on his website MoneySavingExpert. Aside from the list of affected vehicles, the article also suggested that drivers file a GLO or Group Litigation Order (similar to a US class-action lawsuit). If successful, the payoff can total billions.

MoneySavingExpert addressed their article to England and Wales car owners who bought their vehicles sometime between the years 2007 and 2018. 

Some carmakers, such as Volkswagen, have already reached settlement agreements with affected drivers. They agreed to settle with over 90,000 car owners for an estimated total of £193 million. 

Car owners affected by the BMW emissions scandal can also start their legal claim against the carmaker. Anyone who bought their vehicle through financing or outright between the years indicated above can get compensation if their claim is successful – or if their carmaker agrees to settle.

Why is it important to claim?

Affected BMW car owners – or any affected car owner for that matter – should bring a diesel claim for several reasons:

• Their carmaker lied to and mis-sold the vehicle to them
• The vehicle’s performance can be significantly affected by the defeat device
• The vehicle’s market value is reduced

The biggest reason to do so, however, is the environmental and health impacts of NOx emissions.

Nitrogen oxide, which is composed of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and nitric oxide (NO) among others, produces pollutants such as ground-level ozone, smog, and acid rain. It can weaken and destroy vegetation. 

Exposure to NOx emissions also endangers drivers and everyone around them. Health impacts such as dementia, asthma, emphysema, and other respiratory diseases, and breathing and lung problems can change their lives. Serious impacts include chronic lung function reduction, asphyxiation and laryngospasm, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases. NOx emissions exposure can also cause premature death, as proven by various reports that come out annually. 

If you think your vehicle is affected, file your claim now.

How should I start my diesel claim?

The first thing that you should do is visit ClaimExperts.co.uk so you can have your eligibility to file a claim verified. Once you collect all the information you need, you can start working on your diesel claim with a certified emissions expert.