Carmakers Volkswagen and Audi have come to a settlement that requires them to refund and buy back or fix cars of more than 3,600 car owners in Iowa. The vehicles that sparked the lawsuit were equipped with software that falsified emission test results. While Volkswagen marketed the vehicles as environmentally friendly, they emitted harmful nitrogen oxide at rates up to 40 times the legal limit, Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller said.
The companies, as part of the $15 billion settlement, must send affected vehicle owners a restitution payment that Miller thinks will range between $5,000 and $10,000, depending on the vehicle’s value as of September 2015, before news of the illegal software was reported. Volkswagen also must pay $2.7 billion for programs throughout the country to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions, commit another $2 billion to producing zero-emission vehicles and pay $570 million to states for violations of consumer protection laws.
Because the settlement still requires a federal judge’s approval, the recall program may not begin for several months, Miller’s office said.
If you have been affected by negligent business practices or have been accused of such, you may be ordered to resolve outside of court. The lawyers of Arenson Law Group, PC can aid in the negotiation of settlements outside of court if you call at (319) 363-8199 as soon as possible.