The trial was chaired by Judge Dang Dinh Tien. The plaintiff's representative (singer Duy Manh) is authorized by Mr. Phan Van Ngoan. Lawyers Trinh Van Hiep and Nguyen Thanh Trung participated in protecting the plaintiff's legitimate rights and interests.
On the defendant's side (mercedises-Benz Vietnam Co., Ltd.) there are authorized representatives including Mr. Nguyen Bao Toan, Vo Thanh Hai, Tran Thai Bao and Nguyen Duc Quang.
At the procedure section, the court secretary informed the defendant to submit a request for a postponement. After consideration, the panel of judges decided to postpone the trial and set the reopening time for May 21.
According to the lawsuit, on August 18, 2020, singer Duy Manh bought a Mercedes worth more than VND 4.7 billion from Vietnam Star Automobile Company Limited, a genuine distributor of Mercedes-Benz. The vehicle is guaranteed 36 months with unlimited distance. On August 27, 2020, Duy Manh continued to buy Liberty insurance for the car.
On the evening of February 15, 2023, the car suddenly caught fire while parked on the 2nd floor of a parking lot at an apartment building in Thu Duc City. People, management boards and firefighting forces participated in extinguishing the fire.
Conclusion of assessment on 8.3.2023 of the authorities determined that the cause of fire due to short circuit shock behind the engine - generating electric arcs burned the insulation layer, spread and burned the entire vehicle.
However, on March 30, 2023, Mercedes-Benz Vietnam (MBV) removed the car and concluded that the cause of the fire was due to rodents that bite off the wire. On April 18, 2023, the company continued to make a record affirming the cause of the external agent, based on the image of the mouse, the bite appeared after the inspection.
Mr. Manh said that MBV could not prove that there were traces of mice before the fire. After the incident, the vehicle was left outdoors for more than 20 days without a cover, possibly encroached by mice. Moreover, many parts of the vehicle were burned and deformed, making it impossible to assess accurately.
The seller, Vietnam Star Automobile Company, will support replacement cars until May 7, 2023. Mr. Manh received nearly 2.9 billion VND from Liberty insurance. However, the remaining damage has not been compensated by MBV.
Mr. Manh decided to file a lawsuit, demanding that MBV compensate more than 2.5 billion VND - including the remaining damages after deducting insurance, bank loan interest of 293 million VND and legal costs of the lawsuit.
