For Volkswagen, New Questions Arise on U.S. Injury Reporting

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Volkswagen AG reported death and injury claims at the lowest rate of any major automaker in the U.S. over the last decade.

The numbers are so good that some industry experts wonder if they add up.

The average reporting rate of the 11 biggest automakers was nine times higher than Volkswagen’s, according to an analysis of government data completed last week by financial advisory firm Stout Risius Ross Inc. at the request of Bloomberg News. 

This year, two of Volkswagen’s competitors, Honda Motor Co. and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV’s U.S. unit, have said they underreported claims to the U.S. government, and Honda paid a fine. Volkswagen’s rate is lower than Honda and Chrysler’s underreported numbers, the data show. To ensure fair comparisons among carmakers of different sizes, the rates were calculated per million vehicles on the road. 

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