CANBERRA: Bannister Law has filed two class actions in the federal court on behalf of Australians car owners whose diesel vehicles contained emissions defeating devices, which could claim billions of dollars in compensation.
More than 100,000 local cars have been caught up in the German carmarker’s global emissions rigging scandal.
‘In supplying cars containing the defeat device, the statutory guarantee was not complied with. If we’re successful on that part of the claim, the customer may be entitled to a refund of the purchase,’ class action principal Charles Bannister said in a statement on Monday.
‘The value of car owners’ vehicles has been diminished through no fault of their own and people should be compensated,’ Bannister said.
‘Under Australian consumer law we believe that people are entitled to ask for the recovery of the full purchase price or alternatively a diminution in the value of the vehicle.’
The local subsidiaries of German carmaker Volkswagen admitted in October that more than 100,000 diesel cars in Australia, including the popular Golf and Polo models, had been sold with software that manipulated pollution controls.
More than 11 million vehicles globally have been identified as being part of the emissions scam, and the German autogiant is facing numerous lawsuits.
Bannister said there was a strong case for Australian customers to claim a full refund on their car or some compensation for the drop in value of their vehicle.
