Owners and lessees of Volkswagen and Audi 2.0-liter diesel vehicles who have yet to complete a claim in the Dieselgate emissions-cheating settlement have until Sept. 1 to claim benefits for a vehicle buyback or an approved emissions modification, along with cash compensation, according to a reminder from the Plaintiffs’ Committee for Volkswagen Clean Diesel Litigation.
In the two years since the VW settlement was announced, VW has compensated class members an aggregate amount of over $7.75 billion, and more than 85% of the affected 2.0-liter diesel vehicles have been modified or removed from the road.
The class action settlement, which received final approval from Judge Charles R. Breyer in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on Oct. 25, 2016, requires Volkswagen to create a funding pool of up to $10.033 billion for consumer class benefits. These benefits include vehicle buybacks, lease terminations and emissions modifications, along with substantial cash payments.
“We strongly encourage eligible Volkswagen and Audi owners and lessees who have not yet filed claims to do so immediately,” says Elizabeth Cabraser, court-appointed lead counsel and chair of the 21-member Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee, which negotiated the settlement on behalf of class members. “The benefits under this historic settlement – for both consumers and the environment – are too significant to pass up.”
Class members who have not yet completed a claim are urged to note the following dates:
- Sept. 1 – 2.0-liter Settlement Claims Deadline: Class members with eligible 2.0-liter vehicles must submit a complete and accurate claim, including all required documents. Class members who fail to submit a completed claim with all required documentation by the Sept. 1 deadline will be considered untimely and ineligible for settlement benefits.
- Dec. 1 – Signed Offer Letter Submission: Class members who receive an offer letter in the settlement program should sign and return their offer letter to Volkswagen by no later than Dec. 1. Class members who return their offer letters after this date may jeopardize their ability to claim benefits before the settlement program ends on Dec. 30.
- Dec. 30 – Deadline to Complete Buyback, Early Lease Termination or Approved Emissions Modification: The 2.0-liter Settlement Program will end on Dec. 30, and class members who are eligible for benefits must complete their selected remedy by that date. Class members who wait until the last days of the program to schedule their closing appointment may be unable to find an available appointment to receive benefits from the settlement.
The above deadlines apply only to claims in the 2.0-liter class action settlement. A separate settlement was reached in January 2017 on behalf of owners and lessees of Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche 3.0-liter diesel vehicles. As of June 2018, Volkswagen has paid over $861 million to the 3.0-liter class members as part of that settlement.
