Volkswagen threatens trouble in Austria: Vienna wants to open diesel owners the opportunity for a class action, so they can fight more effectively for damages.
Headquarters of Volkswagen in Wolfsburg
Thursday, 19.04.2018
11:45 clock
After this diesel scandal At VW around 360,000 affected car owners in Austria can participate in class action lawsuits. The Ministry of Social Affairs and the Chamber of Labor in Vienna have commissioned the Association for Consumer Information (VKI) with the implementation. An opinion of the VKI shows that the exhaust gas manipulations could lead to impairment losses of more than 20 percent in vehicles. Even consequential damage such as reduced performance and increased wear despite software update are therefore possible.
All victims can sign up by 20 May “to enforce their right to adequate compensation,” said Social Affairs Minister Beate Hartinger-Klein. This also applies to victims who have sold their car in the meantime again. “It can not be that deliberate manipulation to such an extent without consequences and Austrian consumers remain sitting on their damage,” said the VKI.
Legally, a single class action in a single court is not allowed in Austria. Therefore, the various claims are bundled by two law firms and brought to courts throughout the country. Affected parties can participate with a small contribution to the class action lawsuits. The remainder of the money comes from a litigation funder, who receives a certain quota if he succeeds in court.