If You Are Suffering From
Hearing Loss After Using
3M Combat Earplugs,
You May Qualify To Join The 3M Combat Earplug Lawsuit Today.
The 3M Company, a multinational company, based in Minnesota, provided earplugs to the U.S. military for their soldiers to use in combat to protect their hearing. The 3M earplugs were intended to block out loud noises, such as explosions, while allowing soldiers to still communicate with each other. However, 3M failed to notify the U.S. government that some of its plugs were faulty and could cause partial or complete hearing loss to its military members.
From 2003 to 2015, thousands of U.S. military members in conflict zones, such as Afghanistan and Iraq, using 3M’s Dual-Ended Combat Arms Earplugs (Version 2 — CAEv2) have suffered partial or full hearing loss, or tinnitus, as a result. 3M’s CAEv2 earplugs were standard equipment for certain branches of the military between 2003 and 2015, and the only available option to military personnel for attenuation earplugs between 2003 and 2012.
In 2016, after a whistleblower stepped forward, to warn people of the design flaw and accused 3M of knowingly selling defective earplugs to the U.S. military, the Justice Department filed a False Claims Act lawsuit against the company, in South Carolina federal court. The lawsuit alleged that 3M (and its predecessor Aearo Technologies Inc.) sold its Combat Arms Earplugs, Version 2 (CAEv2) to the Defense Logistics Agency knowing they were too short to be properly inserted into a user’s ears. The U.S. Department of Justice alleged that 3M and Aearo Technologies’ employees, including those who joined 3M after being acquired in 2008, knew about the design problems as early as 2000 when it completed testing of the earplugs. After investigating the claims, the U.S. Department of Justice announced, in July of 2018, that 3M Corp. had agreed to pay $9.1 million to settle the whistleblower lawsuit. The earplugs have now been discontinued.
Following that decision, a flurry of lawsuits were filed by veterans who wore the earplugs and were suffering from hearing loss.
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What is the 3M combat earplug lawsuit?
Although the earplugs were provided for the general purpose of hearing protection, veterans began coming forward with arguments that 3M Corp. misrepresented the effectiveness of the devices, did not disclose their defects, and exposed military personnel to risks of severe hearing loss. The product allegedly had a design flaw in that they were purportedly too short to effectively fit in a wearer’s ear, meaning the earplugs could loosen and allow sound to enter the ear and ultimately exact damage on the wearer’s hearing, such as partial or full hearing loss or ringing in the ears.
In April of 2019, an MDL was established for the 3M Combat Arms Earplug cases in the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of Florida, known as 3M Combat Arms Earplug Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2885. As of March 2020, more than 6,800 were pending in the MDL. The case is expected to get a trial date in 2021 before federal Judge M. Casey Rodgers. The lawsuit alleges, amongst other things, that 3M knew, because of their own testing, that their earplugs were too short to fit properly into the soldier’s ear canal and could loosen without them knowing.
Did You Serve in the U.S. Military and Suffer From Hearing Loss After Using 3M Earplugs?
- Do you suffer from or been diagnosed with hearing loss?
- When did your hearing loss begin?
- When were you diagnosed with hearing loss?
- Where were you treated/diagnosed with hearing loss?
- Do you receive disability benefits from the government for hearing loss?
An experienced attorney will ask you these questions to see if you are eligible to become involved in the 3M combat earplug lawsuit. Potential plaintiffs need to have a diagnosis from a doctor of tinnitus at or around the time of discharge from the military and/or hearing loss resulting in an impairment rating with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The relevant time of service is 2003 and 2015. Eligible servicemen and women may be entitled to compensation for their hearing loss.
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Why Choose Brindisi, Murad & Brindisi Pearlman For Your 3M Combat Earplug Lawsuit?
Our attorneys are nationally recognized and are experienced in all aspects of serious personal injury litigation, including, defective medical device litigation. Our law firm has been in business for over 60 years. We know first-hand how devastating it can be to become seriously and permanently injured or harmed as the result of someone else’s negligence.
We are committed to helping victims receive fair and equitable settlements. Our law firm has secured well over $100 million for our clients in verdicts and settlements. The attorneys at Brindisi, Murad & Brindisi Pearlman are focused on personal injury law and fighting for the rights of injured people. If you have suffered the effects of hearing loss after serving in the U.S. Military and using 3M combat earplugs, we will fight to help you get the compensation that you deserve.
If You Have Been Injured By 3M Earplugs
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We stand up for innocent people when they have been injured by a careless individual’s actions. We have over 60 years of experience representing the people of New York State. The partners at Brindisi, Murad & Brindisi Pearlman know that you are counting on us to help navigate the waters of an unfortunate incident. And we take that responsibility seriously. We fight hard to get you every dollar you deserve to make sure your medical bills are paid, to recover your lost wages and get you compensated for your pain and suffering.
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