The Munich Regional Court I has estimated concrete price damages in two truck cartel proceedings. The judgments from October 21 concern two construction companies that purchased vehicles from, among others, MAN and Daimler. Both decisions are not yet final.
For heavy Daimler trucks, the court set the damage at 3.7 percent of the net price, for medium-heavy trucks at 4.2 percent. For MAN, it was 5 percent for heavy and 1 percent for medium-heavy vehicles. For a truck purchased in 1997, the court rejected a claim because it did not consider damage to be probable.
For fleet operators, this is another reference point when reviewing old vehicle purchases. However, this does not result in an automatic credit. Whether a particular purchase is affected must be determined on a case-by-case basis and according to the respective proceeding.
Those already pursuing claims should discuss the judgment with their legal representatives. Properly organized purchase receipts, vehicle data, and documentation of existing lawsuits or settlements are helpful. The percentages alone are insufficient for a claim. For accounting purposes, therefore: a possible future payment should only be included in firm financial planning once its specific status has been clarified.