Over one million drivers of diesel vehicles stand to receive compensation in the UK. The legal action against Vauxhall is based on allegations that the carmaker used illegal defeat devices to control emissions tests. More than 600,000 diesel-powered vehicles are affected.
The legal basis for the Vauxhall emissions claims is the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations. Allegedly, the affected models are Zafira, Astra, and Corsa models that were made between 2009 and 2019. If the claim is successful, affected drivers may receive compensation worth anywhere between 25% and 75% of the total value of their vehicle.
Lawyers representing affected car owners are working on a GLO or Group Litigation Order, a legal process that is similar to the United States’ class-action lawsuit. In a GLO, similar claims are grouped and heard as one instead of being treated as separate claims.
Through a statement, Vauxhall denied the allegations and said that they weren’t aware of any cases filed against them. They insisted that all their vehicles meet regulatory standards.
What did Vauxhall allegedly do?
According to authorities, after working with forensic analysts and regulators and going over academic studies, they found proof that Vauxhall installed defeat devices in Zafira, Astra, and Corsa diesel vehicles. The devices were allegedly fitted into the engine management system.
These devices can sense when a vehicle is about to be tested and automatically lower emissions so the amount of released toxic gases the vehicle releases during the test won’t go over the World Health Organization’s legal limits. So, what the devices do is improve the vehicle’s performance inside lab conditions.
Once you pull out the vehicle from the laboratory and take it for a drive on real roads, it starts to emit high volumes of NOx or nitrogen oxides. NOx are dangerous emissions that compromise human health and negatively impact the environment.
As a result of this manipulative action, Vauxhall has been accused not only of cheating on emissions tests but also of exposing UK drivers to air pollution. Additionally, the carmaker lied about the performance of their vehicles. Drivers paid a premium price for vehicles with compromised performance quality.
Another Dieselgate
What Vauxhall did can be an extension of the Dieselgate scandal involving the Volkswagen Group and which erupted in September 2015. Audi and Volkswagen diesel vehicles in the US were discovered to have been equipped with defeat devices to tamper with emissions tests.
VW was ordered to recall the hundreds of thousands of affected vehicles. They have spent billions on payoffs (fines and settlement festival agreements). The Vauxhall emission scandal is headed in the same direction as affected drivers have started filing their diesel claims.
Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Renault are some of the other carmakers that have been implicated in the scandal as well.
Why is NOx dangerous?
Nitrogen oxides are a group of highly reactive gases. They react with other chemicals to form acid rain and smog, as well as ground-level ozone. The ozone makes plants, crops, and vegetation weak, which makes them susceptible to damage.
If a person is exposed to nitrogen oxide, they will suffer from various health conditions.
Even if they haven’t had any issues with their mental health, they will be easily triggered. They’ll have episodes of anxiety and depression. Cognitive health can also decline, so they will become vulnerable to dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s disease.
The following are the life-changing health impacts of nitrogen oxides:
- Asthma
- COPD – Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
- Lung problems (i.e., fluid buildup in the lungs)
- Vomiting and nausea
- Chronic lung function reduction
- Laryngospasm
- Cancers
- Asphyxiation
- Cardiovascular disease
- Premature death
The first case of death due to air pollution happened in the UK in 2013. Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah resided with her mother in south London, near the South Circular Road. Thus, she was constantly exposed to toxic air. Ella had to be brought to the hospital several times for various respiratory illnesses. An inquest was requested and in December 2020, the coroner officially named air pollution as the cause of Ella’s death.
These impacts and the mis-selling, lying, and deception should be more than enough reasons for affected drivers to bring their carmakers to court via diesel claim.
How to file my diesel claim
The first thing you should do before filing your Vauxhall diesel claim is to find out if you are eligible to receive compensation. It’s a simple process; all you have to do is visit ClaimExperts.co.uk and they will provide you with all the information you need to verify your eligibility to file a claim and receive compensation.
Once you are verified, you can start working on your claim. You have two options: to file a single/individual claim or to join a Group Litigation Order.
To increase your chances of winning the emission claim, be sure to work with an emissions expert. They are trained and experienced in helping car owners like you get back what they lost after carmakers deceived you.