London, 5th June 2020 - Hausfeld announced that it is inviting UK owners of diesel Mercedes vehicles to sign up for potential legal action following regulatory findings against the carmaker. Mercedes owners may be due significant compensation after Mercedes allegedly installed devices in diesel vehicles that could cheat emissions tests. A number of its diesel vehicles have been recalled following a finding by the German regulator and on a voluntary basis by Mercedes with investigations understood to be ongoing.
It is estimated that hundreds of thousands of diesel Mercedes vehicles in the UK may contain so-called ‘defeat devices’, which allegedly falsely lowered emissions during tests so the vehicles could pass EU regulations. The potential compensation for Mercedes owners in the UK may be thousands of pounds per vehicle.
Hausfeld’s announcement follows the German Federal Court’s decision on 25 May in similar claims related to VW (which is facing thousands of compensation claims in Germany, including from Hausfeld clients), that VW must pay damages for having caused ‘intentional immoral damage’. In addition to its claims against VW on behalf of affected German consumers, Hausfeld also already has claims on foot against Mercedes in Germany.
Managing Partner and Vice Chair of Hausfeld, Anthony Maton, said:
“Mercedes stands accused of rigging emissions tests such that there may be hundreds of thousands of vehicles on the road in the UK which are emitting more NoX than is lawful. Hausfeld is already leading a number of emissions claims against both VW and Mercedes in Germany and we’re delighted to be able to put that experience to use on behalf of UK consumers and businesses.”
Those who owned or leased diesel Mercedes vehicles (including company or fleet vehicles) manufactured between 2009 and 2018 can check whether they are eligible, using a simple tool on the claim website and are encouraged to sign up to the claim. Those that sign up will benefit from a “no win, no cost to you” arrangement.
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About Hausfeld
Hausfeld is a leading disputes-only specialist law firm with offices in London, Berlin and Düsseldorf, Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris, Stockholm and the US. Hausfeld possesses significant experience of all aspects of and group claims and is acting for clients in claims against VW and Daimler in Germany relating to the emissions scandal.
About the German ruling
The German court ruled that VW must repay the purchase price of the vehicle, less an amount for depreciation.
The Federal Court ruling comes after the European Court of Justice’s Advocate General Sharpston’s opinion of 30 April in a VW case pending at the ECJ, indicating that she is of the view that the objective of slowing down the ageing or the clogging-up of the engine does not justify the use of a defeat device.