Individuals who were in the U.S. army between 2003 and 2015 might be qualified to file a 3M earplug lawsuit. Veterans who lost their hearing from the 3M army faulty earplugs were exposed to continuous high-level sounds. Pilots, aircraft support personnel, artillery, engineers or mechanics, and infantry are just a few of the examples.
The 3M Company is based in Minnesota. It supplied the U.S. military with specially designed earplugs that were used primarily in situations that called for the protection of soldiers’ hearing from things like explosions, shooting, etc.
However, the earplugs did not work properly and caused severe hearing damage in the soldiers. 3M reportedly knew about the faulty earplug design but didn’t inform the U.S. government.
Why Do These Earplugs Cause Harm?
Countless soldiers (including the ones that were in Iraq and Afghanistan) used 3M’s Dual-Ended Combat Arms Earplugs Version two (CAEv2); these devices were created by Aearo Technologies that 3M obtained in 2008.
A whistleblower published a warning about the faulty device in 2018. The U.S. Department of Justice examined the report, and 3M compensated $9.1 million to the national authorities.
Use of the earplugs was stopped. The claims are now only allegations because there was no determination of accountability. Veterans still seek compensation from 3M.
The Design Flaw
The earplugs had a design flaw due to their symmetrical form. The earplug could have loosened slowly during wear, so the individual wearing it was exposed to loud sounds such as explosions and shooting. The noise enters the ear and also injures the hearing.
How to Submit a 3M Earplug Lawsuit?
Should you believe you’ve damaged your hearing by using 3M earplugs, you’ll need to demonstrate evidence of it. The very best means to do it is to get a medical report from a physician.
Once you receive the evidence, you may file a lawsuit. Your litigation must incorporate a diagnosis of tinnitus at (or close to) the time you had been released from the army or a diagnosis of hearing loss resulting in some U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ handicap rating.
If you are a civilian who employed the earplugs and seasoned hearing damages because of the faulty layout, you are also eligible to file a 3M earplug lawsuit.
Receiving Compensation
Though the 3M faulty military earplug suits are merged due to the similarities of their questions of fact, the court will determine about each case individually.
Every case differs, but mostly plaintiffs get a few or all of the compensation. Here’s the reimbursement you can collect:
- Lost wages
- Lost benefits
- Diminished future wages
- Doctors’ and surgeons’ expenses
- Prescription medicine costs
- Hearing aid expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Loss of consortium
- Diminished pleasure of life
Plaintiffs in the 3M earplug lawsuit claim the following:
- 3M knew about the flaw when it sold the earplugs.
- 3M hid the mistake when it sold the earplugs.
- 3M did not let users that rolling back the rim on the earplugs was necessary for the earplugs to function. This was only listed as a hint in the directions.
- The earplugs failed to filter sound as advertised and caused hearing loss and tinnitus in service members and support professionals.
If you or a loved one suffered hearing loss or tinnitus after service between 2003 and 2015, you might qualify to file a 3M defective earplug lawsuit or join the continuing MDL. Remember, you could also be qualified if you used these earplugs as a civilian.
Contact Us Today If You Think You Have a Claim!
People who have been discharged by the U.S. military and have a hearing loss rating, according to the United States Department of Veteran Affairs, qualify for filing litigation. Serving the army from 2003 to 2015 is yet another way to prove your eligibility for a lawsuit (accompanied by a hearing loss or damage diagnosis).
Here at Class Action Lawyer Coalition, we are actively assessing claims where both veterans and personnel who are on duty have severe hearing loss once they utilized the faulty Version 2 — CAEv2, 3M Combat Arms Earplugs.
Call our mass tort law office today and let our team take your situation and stand by your side through the process of getting your compensation claim.
