UK Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said that the car company must consider offering compensation to motorists if their VW vehicle has lost some of its resale value because of the emissions rigging.
In September Jersey law firm Hanson Renouf said that Islanders who drive vehicles that may have been affected could take legal action against the company in the form of a ‘class-action’ – a lawsuit in which a group of people are represented collectively by a member of that group.
Since then, Advocate has said that several motorists have been in touch and the company is now keeping a close eye on how actions, if any, are brought against the car company around the world.
Advocate Renouf said that if cases do get to court, they will happen in America first.
‘For motorists to make a claim, they have to show they have suffered a loss of some sort,’ he said. ‘Just because someone does something wrong, it doesn’t mean you can sue them. Someone may have a case if they can prove that this scandal has affected their car’s resale value.’
In September it was revealed that 11 million VW vehicles worldwide had been affected by the scandal. The company admitted that some vehicles had been fitted with a so-called ‘defeat device’ to cheat emissions tests.
The car maker has since put aside £4.8 billion to meet the costs of recalling the vehicles, but also faces the threat of fines and legal action from shareholders and customers.
Jacksons, Jersey’s largest VW dealer, said it was now waiting for instructions from the German company’s head office after it said that vehicles affected could be recalled. Trading Standards will also post details on the States website.
Anyone with concerns can also contact Trading Standards on 448160 or VW’s customer services on 0800 333666.
