Volkswagen hires compensation guru Kenneth Feinberg to handle emissions cheating claims

December 17, 2015 at 3:54 p.m. | Updated December 18, 2015 at 12:19 p.m.

by Associated Press

FILE - In this July 17, 2014 file photo, attorney Kenneth Feinberg testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington. The government is preparing to cut benefits over the next few years for hundreds of thousands of retirees covered by underfunded multi-employer private pension plans. Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew named Feinberg, an attorney, to review applications for fairness. Feinberg has administered the compensation funds for claims from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and from families of victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. (AP Photo/Lauren Victoria Burke, file)
FILE - In this July 17, 2014 file photo, attorney Kenneth Feinberg testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington. The government is preparing to cut benefits over the next few years for hundreds of thousands of retirees covered by underfunded multi-employer private pension plans. Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew named Feinberg, an attorney, to review applications for fairness. Feinberg has administered the compensation funds for claims from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and from families of victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. (AP Photo/Lauren Victoria Burke, file)

DETROIT -- Volkswagen has hired compensation expert Kenneth Feinberg to handle financial claims from people whose cars are involved in an emissions cheating scandal.

The German automaker says Feinberg will develop an independent, fair and quick process for resolving the claims.

Volkswagen has admitted to installing software on about 500,000 U.S. vehicles that turned on pollution controls during government tests then shut them off when the cars returned to real roads. Government regulators are evaluating the company's proposal to fix the cars.

Feinberg recently wrapped up a compensation program for General Motors over faulty ignition switches that caused crashes, deaths and injuries. He also handled compensation for victims of the Boston Marathon bombing and the BP Gulf oil spill.

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