A new consumer survey commissioned by law firm, Milberg London LLP, reveals that just 17% of car owners caught up in the diesel emissions scandal, aka Dieselgate, have sought legal action against the culprit manufacturers, meaning those who haven’t have missed out on the thousands of pounds compensation that has been issued.
Since 2014, it has been discovered that some car manufacturers, including Volkswagen and Mercedes, use software in some of their diesel vehicles to recognise when a standardised emissions test is being carried out and adjust the engine to emit less pollutants for the duration of the test, thus delivering results that suggest the vehicle is more environmentally friendly than it actually is.
Now, Milberg London LLP has surveyed approximately 1,900 car owners and found that public awareness of the scandal is strong, with 65% of respondents confirming that they have heard about Dieselgate.
The vast majority (80%) of people learned about the situation through news media, such as print, TV, and online news.
Almost a quarter (24%) state that they own or have previously owned a vehicle affected by the scandal, but this number could be higher still as another 14% say they’re not sure.
What’s more, almost a third (31%) of all those surveyed said they were unlikely to purchase a car from a brand proven to be involved in diesel gate in the future.
In the wake of the scandal, a number of legal firms have worked to bring group legal claims or class action lawsuits against the culprit manufacturers, but of those surveyed who state they were impacted, just 17% say they have been involved in such a process.
Of those who have pursued legal action, the majority (45%) were awarded between £1,500 – £2,499, while some (5%) received as much as £3,499.
That means that 83% of drivers affected by the scandal have so far missed out on compensation that they are rightfully owed.
Polly Blenkin, Partner at Milberg London LLP said, “The emissions scandal is one of the most devious and morally reprehensible cases of corporate deceit you can imagine. These car manufacturers have gone to extraordinary efforts to pretend that their vehicles are more environmentally conscious than they really are, while profiting from the greatest existential crisis to ever face humanity.
Big businesses like Mercedes and VW consider themselves to be untouchable but Milberg, and others, are determined that they are held to account for their actions.
So far, we have been successful in doing so and we’re confident this will continue to be the case. However, it’s a shame that many of those who should be rightfully compensated will fail to benefit.
There’s a certain level of stigma surrounding class actions within the UK but this is proof that they do work and the UK public should maintain an open mind if they have been impacted by Dieselgate, or any other class action issue.”
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