Volkswagen Emissions Attorney

If you or a loved one own a Volkswagen, Audi or Porsche that was built between 2009 and 2016 and had emissions-cheating software installed by the manufacturer, you may be eligible for compensation.

The experienced Bloomington defective product attorneys at TSR Injury Law are prepared to help you if you have a valid case. Our firm has been advocating for individuals and their families throughout Minnesota for over 20 years. Our attorneys have obtained over $1 billion in compensation, including more than $3 million in a defective product case involving a defective control mechanism that caused a recreational vehicle crash.

Schedule a free, no-obligation consultation to review your claim. If we determine that you may have a viable claim, we are prepared to represent you on contingency, which means we do not get paid unless you do.

Call TSR Injury Law today at (612) TSR-TIME.

Who May Qualify for Compensation?

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the following vehicle models were involved in the Volkswagen emissions scandal:

  • Audi A3 (2010-2015)
  • Audi A6 Quattro (2014-2016)
  • Audi A7 Quattro (2014-2016)
  • Audi A8/A8L (2014-2016)
  • Audi Q5 (2014-2016)
  • Audi Q7 (2009-2016)
  • Porsche Cayenne (2014-2016)
  • Volkswagen Beetle, Beetle Convertible (2013-2015)
  • Volkswagen Golf (2010-2015)
  • Volkswagen Golf SportWagen (2015)
  • Volkswagen Jetta, Jetta SportWagen (2009-2014)
  • Volkswagen Passat (2012-2015)
  • Volkswagen Touareg (2009-2016)

In October 2016, a U.S. District Court Judge approved a $14.7 billion settlement. Volkswagen then started mailing notifications to affected owners and lessees about its $10 billion buyback program. Under the terms of the agreement, those who purchased their cars before Sept. 17, 2015 could sell these vehicles back for between $12,500 and $44,000. Lessees would receive between $2,600 and $4,900.

Buybacks started in November 2016. The last day to submit a buyback claim for 2.0-liter diesel cars was Dec. 30, 2018. The last day to submit a claim for a 3.0-liter vehicle was June 1, 2019, according to the Volkswagen site.

If VW decides to implement further emissions improvements and they are approved by the EPA and California Air Resources Board (CARB), VW must allow their customers the opportunity to bring back their vehicles to have the improvements installed. According to the EPA, these emissions modifications should also be covered by an extended warranty.

You may also be eligible to file a lawsuit against the manufacturer to recover additional compensation, such as compensation for the price difference between a diesel car and an equivalent gasoline vehicle, diminished resale value and the cost of having reduced gas mileage after fixing the car.

Call TSR Injury Law today at (612) TSR-TIME. We are here to help.

Liability for the Emissions Scandal

Volkswagen and its subsidiaries have been held liable for their part in the emissions scandal. Some of these subsidiaries include:

  • Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. is owned by Volkswagen AG and owns a manufacturing plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, which produces several brands of vehicles.
  • Volkswagen Group of America Chattanooga Operations, LLC is a subsidiary of Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., and runs the manufacturing plant in Chattanooga, TN.
  • Volkswagen AG is the largest carmaker in Europe and the parent company of Audi AG, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. and Volkswagen Group of America Chattanooga, LLC. 
  • Audi AG produces Audi vehicles and has been owned by Volkswagen since 1969.
  • Porsche AG designs, manufactures and distributes cars, engines and other parts. This company is owned by Volkswagen AG and operates out of Stuttgart, Germany.
  • Porsche Cars North America, Inc. exclusively imports Porsche vehicles into the United States and provides parts, service, marketing and training for 189 dealerships throughout the United States. This company is in Atlanta, GA and is owned by Porsche AG.   

Contact a trusted product liability lawyer at TSR Injury Law for a free review of your claim. We work on a contingency fee basis so you will not be charged any fees unless we successfully recover compensation for your claim.

How Volkswagen Broke the Law

In 2015, the EPA announced Volkswagen had installed software in more than 10.5 million diesel vehicles (500,000 in the U.S.) to attempt to cheat on emissions tests.

The software would detect when an inspection was taking place and active controls to pass the test. However, once these cars got back on the road, the controls would shut off to enhance vehicle performance. This resulted in the vehicles releasing up to 40 times more pollution than permitted by the Clean Air Act.

The pollution included high amounts of nitrogen oxide, which can damage the ozone and create smog. Nitrogen oxide is also linked to health problems like asthma and other respiratory problems.

Clean Air Act Civil Settlements

On June 28, 2016, Volkswagen agreed to a multi-billion-dollar settlement to resolve violations of the Clean Air Act for selling 2.0-liter diesel engines with the defeat devices. The settlement was formalized on October 25, 2016. Volkswagen agreed to another settlement to resolve Clean Air Act violations for the sale of 3.0-liter diesel engines equipped with the defeat devices.

Contact TSR Injury Law About a Possible Volkswagen Emissions Lawsuit

At TSR Injury Law, we have been helping consumers recover compensation for over two decades.

Partner, Nate Bjerke, is an accomplished product liability lawyer who has experience protecting the rights of consumers against large corporate organizations such as Audi, BMW, Kawasaki, Kia Motors, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Caterpillar and Michelin.

Call TSR Injury Law today to learn if you qualify for financial compensation concerning the Volkswagen emissions scandal. You are not obligated to hire our firm to represent your case and you will not be charged any legal fees unless we win your case on your behalf.

Call our team of dedicated legal professionals anytime 24-7 at (612) TSR-TIME.

Takata Airbag Injury Attorneys

Millions of vehicles in the U.S. with Takata airbags have been recalled. Exposure to high temperatures and humidity over a long period of time has caused these airbags to explode when deployed, such as in the event of an accident, resulting in serious injuries and fatalities.

If you or someone you care about has been injured by a defective Takata airbag, you may be eligible to recover compensation for your injuries and other damages by filing a Takata airbag lawsuit. Several class action lawsuits have been filed against Takata on behalf of customers who bought vehicles with Takata airbags and now face financial losses due to medical care and the diminished value of their vehicles.

The Takata airbag injury lawyers at TSR Injury Law are actively investigating claims and are prepared to discuss your potential legal options during a free consultation. For more than 20 years, our firm has obtained over $1 billion for our clients. Partner Nate Bjerke has protected the rights of injury victims against large corporations, such as Ford Motor Company, Kia Motors, BMW, Michelin, Kawasaki and General Motors.

Our consultations are 100 percent free and there are no upfront costs or obligations involved. We only get paid at the end of the legal process if we successfully help you obtain a recovery via a verdict or settlement.

No Upfront Fees. Ph: (612) TSR-TIME.

Do I Have a Viable Case?

If your Takata airbag deployed and injured you, it may be possible to file a lawsuit. Our legal team will not know definitively until we review your situation, including the make, model and year of your vehicle.

Takata airbags were installed in a wide variety of vehicles, including vehicle models manufactured by:

  • Acura
  • Audi
  • BMW
  • Buick
  • Chrysler
  • Dodge
  • Ford
  • General Motors
  • Honda
  • Infiniti
  • Lexus
  • Mazda
  • Mitsubishi
  • Nissan
  • Saab
  • Subaru
  • Toyota
  • Volkswagen

If you are unsure if your vehicle has had a safety recall, we recommend using the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) online search tool. The list of recalled vehicles is updated regularly.

Should you have a case and we represent you, our lawyers may be able to hold Takata and other auto manufacturers responsible for any financial, physical and emotional losses you have experienced.

Request a free consultation. There is no risk in calling us. (612) TSR-TIME.

What is the Value of My Case?

The value of your potential case will depend on many different factors unique to your circumstances. This includes the extent and severity of your injuries caused by airbag deployment, medical care required to treat your injuries now and in the future and your estimated recovery time.

You may be able to obtain compensation for medical expenses, loss of wages, and pain and suffering through a number of funds since Takata’s TK Holdings, its U.S. operations, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2018.

These funds include the following:

Individual Restitution Fund (IRF)

This fund has been set up to help compensate individuals who have been injured or killed due to a malfunctioning Takata airbag inflator. $125 million has been set aside by Takata as part of its criminal guilty plea in a Federal Court fraud case in 2017 for those who have previously not resolved claims with Takata.

Bankruptcy Trust Fund

This fund has been created to benefit individuals injured by a Takata airbag and future personal injury victims. Between $90 to $150 million has been set aside for injury claims to compensate for injury-related costs. Aside from medical bills, this could include inability to use your vehicle, diminished sales value, costs required to repair or replace your vehicle, or unpaid time off work to recover or get recalled repairs done.

Participating Original Equipment Manufacturer (POEM) Fund

Currently, only individuals injured or killed by a Takata airbag in a Honda or Acura vehicle may be eligible for compensation through this fund. Honda by far has the highest number of airbag recalls with the majority of fatalities happening in Honda or Acura vehicles. Approval for Nissan to participate in the fund is still in process.

How Can a Lawyer Help Me?

If you think your vehicle’s airbag was defective during an accident, it is important to consult with an experienced lawyer as soon as possible. A Takata airbag injury lawyer from our firm is prepared to determine if a Takata airbag directly caused your injuries and inform you of the legal options available to you.

We have a team of accident investigators, paralegals and support staff ready conduct a detailed examination into what happened and collect the supportive evidence needed to help build a strong case for you.

Millions of Takata Airbags Recalled

Approximately 70 million vehicles containing Takata airbags have been recalled for repairs as part of an agreement with the NHTSA. This is the largest auto safety recall in the U.S.

Takata had been using ammonium nitrate in order to inflate their airbags. However, the chemical can deteriorate over time when exposed to high heat and humidity and burn too quickly, causing the metal cannister holding the airbag to blow apart and hurl shrapnel, killing or severely injuring people.

In January of 2020, Takata announced than an additional 10 million vehicles will require repairs due to recalled airbags. The 14 automakers affected by this recall include Ford, General Motors, Subaru and Toyota.

Faulty Takata airbags have led to at least 25 deaths and hundreds of injuries across the nation and worldwide.

Common injuries caused by Takata airbags include:

  • Cuts and lacerations requiring stitches
  • Bruising to the face, neck, throat, torso or arms
  • Burn injuries
  • Fractured or broken bones
  • Facial or skull fractures
  • Loss of vision in one or both eyes
  • Permanent scarring or disfigurement
  • Mild to severe brain injuries
  • Injury to pregnancy
  • Nerve damage
  • Paralysis to the face or neck
  • Hearing loss or impairment
  • Larynx or vocal cord injury

NHTSA Action on Recall Notices

After a New York Times report uncovered evidence that suggested Takata was purposely concealing evidence that their airbags were known to be defective since 2004, the NHTSA called for recalls to be expanded on a national level in late 2014. Owners of vehicles recalled were urged to get their vehicles repaired immediately.

Since this initial action, the NHTSA has taken other steps to remedy the situation over the years, such as:

  • Fining Takata $14,000 a day for not fully cooperating with the agency’s investigation into the airbags
  • Expanding vehicle models included in previous recall announcements
  • Updating its VIN look-up tool to include all affected vehicle models
  • Informing the public routinely about U.S. fatalities due to Takata airbag inflators
  • Imposing a $200 million penalty against Takata requiring the company to stop manufacturing and selling unsafe airbag inflators
  • Announcing that certain Honda and Acura models have a higher risk of airbag ruptures

Takata Airbag Lawsuits and Settlements

These lawsuits accuse Takata of the following:

  • Concealing the inflator in its airbags was defective
  • Failing to warn the public about the defect
  • Failing to investigate and even downplaying that there was an issue
  • Producing airbags that contained a dangerous chemical
  • Failing to disclose the defective and dangerous condition of its airbags from vehicle owners, safety regulars and the general public

Takata has also settled a number of lawsuits. In 2018, Takata finalized a $1 billion dollar settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice to compensate automakers and injured drivers. This included settling a lawsuit for $553 million with Toyota, Mazda, Subaru and BMW to compensate owners of vehicles impacted by Takata airbags. Takata also had to pay a fine to federal regulators for concealing the defects for so long.

Call TSR Injury Law For a Free Consultation

Have you or a loved one been seriously injured in an accident involving a Takata airbag?

You may be eligible to file a Takata airbag lawsuit in an effort to recover compensation for your injuries and other damages. At TSR Injury Law, our legal team has more than 20 years of experience obtaining millions in compensation on behalf of our clients.

To see if you qualify to take legal action, schedule a free and confidential consultation. Our Takata airbag injury lawyers do not get paid for our services unless we help you recover compensation.

Call (612) TSR-TIME or reach out online anytime.