Military Earplug Lawsuit: 3M Earplugs Lawsuit

Learn more about the 3M Lawsuit: Our law firm is representing individuals who suffered serious hearing loss after using the 3M Combat Arms Earplugs Version 2 (CAEv2). If you were deployed or trained between 2003 and 2015 and have been dealing with serious hearing loss, contact us today to learn more about the 3M Earplug Lawsuit.

Defective Military Earplugs

The 3M Combat Arms Earplugs Version 2 were sold to the military from 2003 and 2015. Allegedly, 3M knew the design would not hold tight within the user’s ear, yet they claimed the earplugs met military standards and continued to sell them to the military. Court documents reveal that the earplugs were too short to fit properly and could loosen and allow loud noises to enter into the ear canal and damage the ear drums. While dangerously high sound levels are just one of the many unavoidable hazards soldiers and other military personnel endure in combat zones, many of our troops suffered preventable levels of hearing loss due to 3M’s defective earplugs.

For twelve years, the earplugs were standard issue for servicemembers, and they were supplied to thousands of military personnel who were deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan between the years of 2003 to 2015. Servicemembers were told that the earplugs were dual purpose, so that wearing them in one direction would allow them to hear speech and other sounds, while inserting them in the opposite direction would provide protection from explosions, gunfire, and other damaging sounds.

In 2018, three years after the 3M earplugs were removed from use, 3M agreed to a $9.1 million settlement to resolve allegations that it knowingly sold the dual-ended Combat Arms Earplugs, Version 2 (CAEv2) to the United States military without disclosing the military earplug defects.   3M and their predecessor, Aearo Technologies, allegedly not only knew about the defect as early as 2000, but they also allegedly manipulated test results to make the CAEv2 earplugs appear to pass military standards.

3M Earplug Lawsuit: Compensation for Hearing Loss

Due to their unethical behavior, 3M caused thousands of our troops to suffer permanent hearing loss and auditory damage. We are representing individuals who served our country between the years of 2003 and 2015 and whose hearing has been damaged by the 3M earplugs, recovering compensation for their injury, pain and suffering, loss of consortium, and medical bills. If you or someone you know were an actively deployed servicemember from 2003 to 2015 and have been diagnosed with tinnitis, partial, or total hearing loss, contact us today to discuss your rights to compensation. Call us toll free at (866) 527-4278 or fill out the form on this page.