Motley Rice LLC Files Class Action Lawsuits in Eight States on Behalf of Volkswagen Owners and Lessees

Allegations include fraud, false advertising, violation of unfair trade practices, breach of contract and breach of warranty

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Motley Rice LLC

Sep 29, 2015, 04:51 ET

MT. PLEASANT, S.C., Sept. 29, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Motley Rice LLC, one of the nation's largest plaintiffs' firms, has filed class actions in eight states for alleged consumer fraud and breach of contract regarding German automaker Volkswagen's emissions scandal. Motley Rice filed actions in New York, Rhode Island, South Carolina and together with co-counsel in Florida, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia.

Filed on behalf of both owners and lessees who have one of the Volkswagen diesel cars in question, these punitive class actions seek to hold Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. accountable for lying to and knowingly deceiving its customers.

Admitting that the company did rig software in certain diesel or TDI models to perform better on U.S. EPA emissions tests than they would actually perform on the road, Michael Horn, chief executive of the Volkswagen Group of America stated, "Our company was dishonest, with the EPA and the California Air Resources board, and with all of you and in my German words, we have totally screwed up."

"Owners of VW diesel cars were duped and now they are stuck in vehicles that do not perform as promised or intended. Rather than being "clean diesel" they are spewing out pollution at alarming rates and Volkswagen has no fix," said Motley Rice lawyer Jodi Westbrook Flowers. "Having spoken with many angry and concerned VW owners, it is clear that these cars were marketed and sold under blatantly false pretense. Volkswagen has reaped the benefit of ill-gotten financial gain by creating software designed to cheat emission testing. Sold at a higher price point than a regular gasoline car, these cars do not live up to the hype or the premium prices for which they were sold to many environmentally-conscious consumers. At a time when the need to seriously address climate change is upon us, VW's conduct in intentional rigging of emissions testing is beyond reprehensible."

Motley Rice LLC founder Joe Rice, also a member of the Plaintiff's Executive Committee for the GM ignition switch litigation consolidated in the Southern District of New York, is working with Flowers on these cases.

"As a Volkswagen owner, I am very disappointed and concerned that a company broke the promises that we relied upon. We trusted Volkswagen and their commitment, and now find that our trust has been violated. All Volkswagen owners deserve answers to these questions and should be compensated for our losses," said Megan W. Strayhorn, Motley Rice client and claimant in Florida.

Fraud, false advertising, violation of unfair trade practices, breach of contract and breach of warranty are the allegations against Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

View the list of cars impacted and learn more about Volkswagen emissions fraud lawsuits.

SOURCE Motley Rice LLC