For more than 10 years, 3M sold the United States military defective Combat Arms earplugs (CAEv2), which have been linked to dangerous hearing loss and/or tinnitus. In a whistleblower lawsuit, the Department of Justice (DOJ) ordered 3M to pay the government $9.1 million in an effort to try to restore some of the financial losses.
While some financial losses can be restored, the hearing of thousands of our soldiers cannot. That is not fair to our brave men and women who trusted 3M to protect their hearing while they were in harm’s way protecting our country.
Symptoms of Hearing Damage
NIHL (Noise Induced Hearing Loss) is the most common injury among war veterans who return to the US, according to usnews.nbcnews.com. Stars & Stripes reported that tinnitus and hearing loss are the VA’s two most prevalent service-related disabilities.
Symptoms of hearing loss may include:
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- Trouble understanding speech
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- Difficulty hearing on the phone
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- The perception that people are mumbling
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- Avoiding social situations
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- Ringing in the ears
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- Loss of balance
3M Military Earplug Victim Felt “Violated”
WRAL.com reported that retired Army General Jay Gothard said in a legal settlement, “I’ll live the rest of my life with a hearing problem which was probably aggravated by using these earplugs for a number of years.” He also said that between the DOJ and 3M, he felt “violated.”
3M, naturally, denied any wrongdoing and emphasized their safety standards. What about their ethical standards? The whistleblower who brought the suit to the DOJ, revealed evidence suggesting 3M and Aearo Technologies manipulated test results to make it appear their product met government standards.
How Are 3M Earplugs Defective?
According to the growing number of lawsuits filed, the earplugs do not reduce noise levels as the company claimed. The stem is too short to be inserted deeply into the ear canal, causing them to loosen in the ear without the wearer realizing it. This allows dangerous levels of noise to penetrate the ear canal, causing significant and irreparable damage.
One Million+ Military Families Call NC Home
Ft. Bragg Army Base, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, and Camp Lejeune are home to well over a million military families. And NC is home to the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin, with 16 offices across NC including Fayetteville and New Bern. We are proud of the military vets who work for our firm, and we actively recruit military vets for career opportunities.
On a personal note, my father-in-law served in the US Army for more than 30 years before retiring as a Major General. The men and women defending our freedoms deserve our thanks and support, not harmful deception.
You have served us. Give us the privilege of serving you.
NC Lawyers Investigating 3M Earplug Claims
If you or a loved one suffered hearing loss and/or tinnitus as a result of using 3M’s Aearo Technologies Dual-ended Combat Arms earplugs (CAEv2) while serving in the military from 2003–2015, contact us immediately or call 1-866-900-7078. You may be eligible for compensation that can potentially cover:
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- Medical costs
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- Temporary and permanent physical damages
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- Time out of work
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- Potentially other expenses related to your diagnosis
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