Volkswagen Scandal: Macomb Man First to Sue Company in Michigan

By BRENDAN KRISEL (Patch Staff)

A Macomb Volkswagen driver has become the first man in Michigan to sue the car company for cheating on its emissions standards by installing a device that showed lower levels during testing than in reality on the roads.

The plaintiff, Daniel Carroll, filed a 40-page civil lawsuit against the auto manufacturer on behalf of himself and all other Volkswagen owners affected.

Carroll, who purchased and has owned a 2013 Volkswagen Jetta turbo diesel, says he wants a new car, and he wants Volkswagen to pay for it, according to a local WDIV broadcast.

But that’s not all.

Carroll also wants Volkswagen to set up a replacement program for all other car owners affected by this scandal.

Since 2008 Volkswagen has sold around 482,000 diesel vehicles in the U.S., and the devices were installed on all of them. The German auto company could face fines totalling $18 billion from the U.S. Government, $37,500 per vehicle, according the CNBC. The department of justice is also launching a criminal probe to determine whether Volkswagen deliberately cheated the emissions test.

Ex Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn also lost his job as a result of the scandal after resigning on Wednesday.