Volkswagen Settles FTC Claims for $5000 Per Car

You might have heard something on the news about the faulty diesel cars made by Volkswagen and Audi. It turns out the cars were not faulty but instead programed to comply with regulations while being tested and then allowed pollutants to be emitted in illegal amounts after the testing had been completed. To make matters worse VW advertised that these cars were equipped with clean diesel technology. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) brought suit on behalf of American consumers for deceptive trade practices and false advertising. Volkswagen plans to pay every customer that bought one of the cars $5000 in addition to $5000 in discounts towards a new vehicle. This settlement only resolves a small part of the legal trouble that VW is facing over the issue. There are still lawsuits from a group of shareholders and the EPA which could combine to result in an extremely expensive year for the auto maker. This is just one example of how damaging deceptive trade practices and false advertising can be. These incidents are unfortunately not isolated to large business and can be found in businesses of all size. If you think you have been a victim of deceptive trade practices or false advertising call the lawyers at Hodges Trial Lawyers, we would be happy to discuss your case with you.