LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Susman Godfrey, one of the nation’s top law firms, has filed a nationwide class-action lawsuit against Volkswagen Group of America for secretly using software designed to cheat emissions tests and falsely advertising its vehicles as environmentally friendly.
Filed Sept. 24, the suit claims Volkswagen deceived consumers into purchasing “eco-conscious” “CleanDiesel” vehicles that actually emit up to 40 times the legal limit of nitrogen oxide. Buyers of the 2009 to 2015 Jetta, Beetle, Audi A3 and Golf models and the 2014 to 2015 Passat models are alleged to have paid a significant premium for so-called “CleanDiesel,” but consumers actually received vehicles that cannot even pass state and federal emissions standards.
The firm is seeking information from affected owners. If you own, or lease, one of the vehicles listed above, contact John Dolan at Susman Godfrey at: jdolan@susmangodfrey.com.
With a long track record of achieving substantial verdicts and settlements for its clients in numerous high-profile cases, Susman Godfrey has been recognized repeatedly for its prowess in plaintiffs’ litigation. Just this month, Law360, published by Portfolio Media, named it for the third consecutive year to its “Most Feared Plaintiffs Firms” list. In addition, The National Law Journal, published by American Lawyer Media, also named the firm to its 2014 “Plaintiffs Hot List.”
“We have successfully taken on some of the biggest corporate entities in the world—and won—securing large settlements on behalf of class members,” said Marc Seltzer, Susman Godfrey’s lead attorney on the Volkswagen case.
The firm’s recent results include an historic $1.6 billion settlement in the Toyota unintended acceleration class action, where Marc Seltzer served as co-lead counsel for the class. The Toyota class received net benefits valued at approximately $1.4 billion.
The lawsuit filed by Susman Godfrey against Volkswagen alleges that United States Environmental Protection Agency and California Air Resources Board investigations found that Volkswagen secretly installed emission “defeat devices” in over 482,000 vehicles in the United States alone, and Volkswagen has now admitted to installing similar devices in 11 million vehicles worldwide. The devices allow Volkswagen vehicles to defeat emissions tests by engaging emissions controls only when testing is detected by the vehicles in question. When the vehicles are not undergoing emissions testing, those emission controls are disengaged, allowing the vehicles to emit pollutants in quantities up to 10 to 40 times the legal limit.
According to the lawsuit, Volkswagen concedes that it installed the defeat devices in its “CleanDiesel” vehicles, and the head of Volkswagen’s United States Division gave the following confession: “Let’s be clear about this. Our company was dishonest. With the EPA, and the California Air Resources Board, and with all of you. And in my German words, we have totally screwed up.”
Susman Godfrey is representing plaintiffs seeking to hold Volkswagen accountable for the harm that it has caused to hundreds of thousands of consumers. For more information on the lawsuit, including information on how to participate as a named plaintiff, contact John Dolan at Susman Godfrey at: jdolan@susmangodfrey.com.
About Susman Godfrey L.L.P.
For more than 35 years, Susman Godfrey has focused its nationally recognized practice on just one thing: high-stakes commercial litigation. It is one of the nation’s leading law firms, with offices in Houston, Seattle, Los Angeles and New York. For more information, visit http://www.susmangodfrey.com.
