Around 100,000 claimants will now be compensated in Germany following a lawsuit, with individuals to receive between €1,400 and €6,200 depending on the model and age of their vehicle. However, Luxembourger Laurent Kneip, who participated in the class action, will not be compensated. RTL spoke to Kneip about his case.
Kneip, along with around 35,000 other Luxembourg residents, was affected by the diesel scandal. He joined the class action in Germany, but was told he could not receive compensation as he is not a German resident. In Luxembourg, the absence of the relevant laws meant no class action could take place. However, four other VW owners in the Grand Duchy are currently taking legal action against the car manufacturer.
In Germany, more than 260,000 clients will receive compensation, as long as they purchased the vehicle prior to 31 December 2015 and registered for the class action. Compensation will be begin to paid from May onwards.
Volkswagen recently lost the first stage of a High Court case in Great Britain, after a judge ruled the manufacturer had installed illegal software in diesel cars. Around 91,000 clients have the right to compensation.
In the USA, customers were compensated in the wake of the scandal in late 2016. EU member states have expressed the desire to allow class action to take place across borders, which could positively impact those affected in Luxembourg, for example.
