3M Earplugs Cause Hearing Loss for Military

3M Earplugs Cause Hearing Loss for MilitaryOur Soldiers were supplied defective Combat Arms Earplugs

The Russo Firm attorneys are evaluating claims that active-duty military personnel and veterans suffered significant hearing damage due to wearing defective 3M Combat Arms Earplugs (Version 2 – CAEv2). You may be entitled to compensation if you used 3M earplugs while serving in the U.S. military between 2003 and 2015.

International conglomerate 3M had a contract with the U.S. government providing earplugs for soldiers in the U.S. military to protect their hearing during combat. The plugs were engineered to block out loud noises and blasts associated with active combat and testing on bases while allowing soldiers to still hear crucial orders. However, some of the plugs were defective, which may have resulted in complete or partial hearing loss to certain military members. The Russo Firm believes that active-duty military persons and veterans deserve to be paid compensation for their suffering after using the defective plugs.

Why The Earplugs Allegedly Cause Harm

October 2023 Updates

October 5: Some expedited payments might be issued as early as December 2023. Half of the claimants in the expedited settlement program are expected to receive compensation by the end of 2024. All claimants in this program should receive their payouts by May 30, 2025.

October 2-3: Discussions about expedited settlements and explanation of the point system occur.

September 2023 Updates

September 28: Call for transparency regarding lawyers willing to handle 3M earplug opt-out cases.

September 20: 3M will not admit responsibility in the settlement.

September 18: An update on the total number of plaintiffs with active cases is revealed.

September 4: Speculation about the $8,333.33 quick settlement idea continues. For $8,333.33 (before fees and costs), a 3m claimant can probably settle their case as early as this year. 3M wants to take the quick money to reduce the claim count, but this is not the average settlement. This amount is just for those who want to get out and get paid quickly.

August 2023 Updates

August 31: Bloomberg article discusses the possibility of opt-outs in the 3M earplug settlement.

August 30: Veterans groups like the Enlisted Association of the National Guard and the Military Order of the Purple Heart are reportedly supporting the deal.

August 29: 3M issued a press release confirming the general terms of the recent earplugs settlement agreement. Agrees to pay $6 Billion dollars to settle.

August 22: Judge Rodgers dismissed 3M claims where plaintiffs did not submit required paperwork.

August 16: An update on the total case count in the 3M MDL is released.

August 2: Judge Rogers gives delinquent plaintiffs another chance to submit required documents.

Learn more: Updates on the Most Recent Mass Tort Cases: September 2023

When Will I Get Paid under the Expedited Program?

We don’t know yet.

According to ARCHER (the organization appointed by the court to serve as the Lien Resolution Administrator), even though the exact payment dates for individual claims are unknown, it’s possible that some expedited payments could be issued as early as December 2023.

Approximately half of the claimants in the expedited settlement program should receive their compensation by the end of 2024.

All claimants in the expedited payment program will have received their payouts by the end of May 2025.

Why The Earplugs Allegedly Cause Harm

  • Hearing loss
  • Tinnitus, or ringing in the ears
  • Permanent hearing damage
  • Deafness
Thousands of military members in conflict zones from 2003 to 2015, like Iraq and Afghanistan, employed 3M’s Dual-Ended Combat Arms Earplugs which may have resulted in full or partial hearing loss, or tinnitus. The plugs were designed by Aero Technologies, a subsidiary of 3M, to protect against loud noises in the field while allowing soldiers to freely communicate with each other. In 2018 a whistleblower came forward to warn people of the design flaw. After the U.S. Department of Justice investigated the claims, $9.1 million was paid out by 3M to the federal government to resolve allegations that the conglomerate was aware of the flaw and supplied them regardless. The plugs have been discontinued.

What To Know About The 3M Lawsuit:

Internal 3M Documents Show A Strong Case For Negligence Documents and depositions have been unsealed by a presiding judge in one of the 3M lawsuits that appear to paint a damning portrait of the corporation’s sales tactics and safety efforts. Moreover, the U.S. military may not have known about the issue with the earplugs from the start, unlike 3M’s claim. 3M could not produce any call transcript or document indicating that any representative of the military had been informed.

3M Earplug Lawsuits Keep Coming In

Over 1,000 defective earplug lawsuits have been filed against 3M since January 2019, alleging that 3M knowingly supplied the U.S. military with protective earplugs. Many of these lawsuits have been integrated into multidistrict litigation (MDL) to speed the process up.

How To File A 3M Earplugs Lawsuit

To file a 3M earplugs lawsuit, potential plaintiffs are required to have a diagnosis from a registered doctor of tinnitus and/or hearing loss resulting in an impairment rating with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs at or around the time of discharge from the military. The relevant frame of service is 2003 to 2015. If deemed eligible, servicemen and women may be entitled to compensation for their hearing loss. 

The Russo Firm and 3M Earplug Lawsuits

The Russo Firm is currently investigating 3M Earplug lawsuits for individuals throughout the United States who may be entitled to financial compensation as a result of 3M’s failure to adequately warn about the risks associated with their defective product.

Contact Our Experienced 3M Earplug Litigation Lawyers For A Free Case Evaluation

If you or a loved one have suffered an injury as a result of using 3M earplugs, call The Russo Firm at 844-847-8300 or contact us online to talk with an experienced lawyer about your injuries. If you can’t travel to our office, we will come to you, or we can work by phone, fax, email, or other methods of communication. Remember, you pay no fee unless we obtain compensation for you.