Up to 600,000 Vauxhalls Could be Affected by Diesel Scandal

UK-based carmaker Vauxhall is in the news because of their alleged involvement in the diesel emissions scandal.

A law firm in London revealed that around 600,000 Vauxhall diesel vehicles were equipped with illegal defeat devices that are used to cheat on emissions tests. This happened for a period of 10 years, from 2009 to 2019.

Vauxhall’s Zafira, Corsa, and Astra models were marketed as high-performing, environmentally friendly, and emissions-compliant vehicles even if they allegedly hid true emissions using defeat devices.

A defeat device is a bit of software that can manipulate emissions tests. It can sense when a vehicle is in the lab for regulatory testing. Once it does, it immediately lowers emission levels to within the legal limit recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). When regulators check the vehicle, it performs well and appears safe and emissions-compliant.

Once the vehicle is out of the lab and driven on real-world roads, however, it releases unlawful volumes of nitrogen oxide, a group of gases that has adverse impacts on human health and the environment. As such, Vauxhall lied to their customers when they mis-sold the vehicles as clean and safe.

The law firm estimated that over one million drivers could receive compensation amounting to approximately £2500 for each car owner.

Vauxhall released a statement denying the accusations. They also denied knowledge of any claim addressed to them. The carmaker is confident that they did not break emissions regulations.

Nitrogen oxide emissions

Defeat devices are illegal because of their nitrogen oxide emissions.

Nitrogen oxide is highly reactive, and when it mixes with other elements, it produces a pollutant called ground-level ozone. It is also responsible for the formation of smog and acid rain. Ground-level ozone can weaken plants, crops, and other vegetation until they are damaged.

The main components of NOx are nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). These two gases contribute to the dangerous nature of nitrogen oxides.

NOx emissions are known to trigger depression and anxiety even if you’ve never had such attacks before. Additionally, your cognitive abilities may also be affected and this can lead to dementia.

What’s scary about NOx emissions, though, are certain health conditions that may develop because of your exposure to the gases. The most common impacts are breathing difficulties, emphysema and bronchitis and other respiratory diseases, and asthma.

There are serious effects on your health, though, including:

  • Pulmonary edema or the build-up of fluid in your lungs
  • Spasms of the vocal cords
  • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
  • Asphyxiation
  • Cardiovascular diseases
  • Certain cancers
  • Premature death

These impacts are the reason why law firms and authorities encourage affected drivers to claim for compensation through a diesel claim.

The Vauxhall emissions scandal is similar to the Dieselgate scandal that involved the Volkswagen Group.

Volkswagen and Dieselgate

It was in September 2015 when the California Air Resources Board and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revealed that they found defeat devices in the Volkswagen Group’s Audi and VW diesel vehicles. Authorities ordered VW to recall the hundreds of thousands of affected vehicles that were sold in the US.

Volkswagen initially denied the allegations but later admitted knowing about the defeat devices. The German carmaker has recalled numerous affected vehicles and paid off fines, fees, and compensation since then.

The Dieselgate diesel emissions scandal is considered as the most controversial incident to ever happen to the global automobile industry. It involves many other carmakers aside from VW and Vauxhall, including Mercedes-Benz and BMW. The list of carmakers continues to expand as authorities continue to discover defeat devices in more and more vehicles.

What is a diesel claim?

A diesel claim is legal action that affected car owners bring against carmakers that mis-sold defeat device-equipped vehicles. A successful claim will allow a driver to receive compensation for the lies, inconveniences, and dangers they had to put up with after purchasing a non-emissions-compliant vehicle. The amount of the compensation will depend on the circumstances of the case.

Most drivers prefer to join a GLO or group litigation order, a legal action that is similar to a US class-action lawsuit.

The Vauxhall emissions claim already has over 60,000 drivers preparing to bring their carmakers to court. Law firms and other relevant authorities are urging more drivers to claim for compensation.

How should I start my diesel claim?

Not all Vauxhall vehicles are affected by defeat devices, only certain models are. So, the first thing you should do is find out if you are eligible to receive Dieselgate compensation. It’s easy to do: just visit Emissions.co.uk and you’ll find all the information you’ll need to determine your eligibility. They’ll also provide you with the basic details you need to start your diesel claim.

Don’t forget to work with an emissions expert if you want your emission claim to have greater chances of succeeding.

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