UK Residents Taking on Mercedes over Diesel Emission Claim

Residents and car owners in the United Kingdom have come together to take legal action against German car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz. The group is suing the company in relation to the use of defeat devices in their diesel vehicles.

Defeat devices first came into light in 2015, when Volkswagen was served a notice of violation by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for installing defeat devices in several of their diesel vehicles sold in the United States. These devices are used to cheat emissions tests, by suppressing NOx emissions during – and only during – lab tests. 

During lab tests, the vehicles emit a lower volume of NOx emissions that are within safe and legal limits, but in real-world driving conditions, the cars revert to their usual level of emissions, which are higher than the World Health Organization’s legal limits. In other words, VW lied to its consumers by making them believe that the diesel cars they bought were safe for the environment. In reality, these drivers were releasing large amounts of harmful gases into the air. 

This became known as the Volkswagen Dieselgate emissions scandal.

Why car owners are suing Mercedes-Benz

Not long after VW started paying fines and compensation to vehicle owners, and recalling affected cars, the Mercedes Benz emissions scandal broke. At first, it only affected car owners in the U.S., but eventually spread to Europe and the UK. It was in 2018 when the KBA or German Federal Motor Transport Authority discovered that Mercedes-Benz installed cheat software in their diesel vehicles’ engines. 

As a result, Mercedes-Benz, through its parent company Daimler, was required to recall over 770,000 of their vehicles throughout Europe.  

The defeat devices aren’t the only illegal issues Mercedes-Benz is allegedly involved in; Daimler was also accused, along with the VW Group (including VW, Porsche, and Audi) and BMW, of disrupting the development of technology intended to help protect the environment by reducing toxic vehicle emissions.

The affected Mercedes drivers

Car owners throughout the UK believe that they are owed Mercedes Benz compensation, which is why they are working with lawyers and legal groups who can help them make this possible. These residents believe that they were cheated because they were led to believe that the vehicles they purchased were safe for the environment and human health; they thought they spent their hard-earned money for an investment that wasn’t worth their time. 

Paul Hanna of Sheffield said he was shocked that Mercedes-Benz could do something that endangers their customers, such as installing defeat devices. The German car manufacturer also disappointed their customers when it worked with other car manufacturers in stopping the progress of technology being developed for reducing emissions. 

Hanna is not the only customer who is not happy with what Mercedes-Benz did, and who is determined to get the compensation that is due them. Fellow Sheffield residents Mark Simpson and Nigel Walton share Hanna’s feelings and opinions. Both could not believe that a globally recognised company like Mercedes-Benz could stand to deceive its customers.

In Leicester, David Simpson and Jayeshkumar Patel have joined other affected Mercedes-Benz owners in a legal action against the car manufacturer that will most likely  turn into group litigation. In the market town of Worksop, Helen Pilgrim is also determined to join the action and exercise the right to claim for a Mercedes emissions claim. 

In Rochdale, Greater Manchester area, Mercedes-Benz car owners Robert Campbell, Farah Hussain, and Shiraz Siddique have also decided to work with other affected drivers and file a claim against the German car manufacturer.

Campbell expressed his dismay at Mercedes-Benz and exclaimed how he and his family did not expect that the German company could deceive them. They felt robbed because they paid a hefty sum for the diesel car they purchased. Campbell was firm in saying Mercedes-Benz owners need to be given the compensation they deserve.

Defeat devices and NOx emissions

As mentioned above, defeat devices suppress NOx emissions from diesel vehicles. They do not reveal the fact that these cars emit dangerous amounts of harmful gases. NOx or nitrogen oxides contain nitrogen dioxide and nitric oxide, which are responsible for the formation of smog, acid rain, and ground-level ozone.

NOx is also partly responsible for releasing fine particulate matters or PM2.5. An individual is exposed to PM2.5, the fine particles easily slide down into the lungs and cause various health issues, including lung problems such as asthma attacks, bronchitis (acute and chronic), respiratory issues, cardiovascular issues, frequent hospital admissions, and even premature death.

On the other hand, nitrogen oxides can lead to health complications like decreased lung function, inflammation of the airways, asthma or aggravated asthma, cardiovascular issues, and other respiratory problems. Some studies also indicate that NOx can trigger mental health issues, specifically depression and anxiety.

Ground-level ozone significantly affects the ecosystems and can damage plants and animals.

If you are an affected driver

If you have a Mercedes-Benz and believe that it is affected by the diesel emission scandal, get in touch with Mercedes right away. Or you can go straight to finding a team of emission compensation experts  so you can start working on your case. It can be a challenging process, but with experienced experts like the ones at Emissions.co.uk, your chances of getting a successful claim are higher.