Laing v. Volkswagen of America, Inc.

**What Happened** An employee named Laing sued Volkswagen of America, claiming the company breached their contract. Laing argued that Volkswagen had defective conditions that violated various consumer protection laws, including federal warranty laws and Maryland state laws designed to protect car buyers and consumers. **What the Court Decided** The court ruled in favor of Volkswagen. The judge found that Laing failed to provide strong enough evidence to prove there were actually any defects. Specifically, the court said Laing needed expert witnesses to testify about the alleged problems, but didn't provide this type of professional testimony. Without this crucial evidence, Laing couldn't move forward with claims under the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, Maryland's car warranty law, or Maryland's consumer protection law. **Why This Matters for Workers** This case shows that when workers sue their employers over defective products or conditions, they need solid proof—often requiring expert witnesses to explain technical problems. Simply claiming something is defective isn't enough; workers must present professional testimony or detailed evidence to support their case. This makes it more challenging and expensive for employees to win these types of lawsuits against large companies.