Class Action lawsuit filed against Volkswagen

It was clear for some time that it would just be a waiting game of when, not if Volkswagen would end up in a US court in a massive lawsuit due to the Dieselgate controversy. As readers of MatthewsVWSite know, some 600,000-plus VW vehicles in the US were affected by the willing tampering of diesels emissions equipment. The lawsuit was filed in a California courtroom on behalf of all affected car owners, before United States District Judge Charles Breyer. Breyer had put together a committee of 22 lawyers on behalf of the plaintiffs to take lead on the extensive legal process yet to unfold.

The documents that were filed were hardly reserved in their scorn for the company:

This case arises out of one of the most brazen corporate crimes in history, a cautionary tale about winning at any cost.. Volkswagen cheated its way to the top of the automotive food chain and spared no victim along the way.

Volkswagen has already absorbed close to $50 billion in damages levied through regulatory fines in the United States alone. This case could open up much more financial damage, and on top of that, the company has still not carried out the recall of these vehicles thus far. One thing for sure, things are moving pretty quickly, and perhaps it is in Volkswagen’s best interests to put this behind them, at a cost they can ideally afford.

One can’t help to think that an emissions cheating case taking place in California is about the most punitive venue possible due to the environment sensibilities that are pervasive in the Golden State.