Friday, April 5, 2019 - Over the years the media has been full of reports of careless and excessive military spending. Who has not heard a story on the news of the US Army ordering a $500 hammer or a $1000 toilet seat? The Army is a massive organization and is easily defrauded, not so much as a result of their incompetence, but more so due to the unscrupulous corporation using confusing and misleading information to sell to their products to the military. Although not as attention-grabbing as the items mentioned above, the defective Army Earplug manufacturers and sold by 3M Inc. may have cost millions of servicemen their ability to hear properly. According to The Military Times, "The earplugs didn’t maintain a tight seal and allowed dangerously loud sounds to slip through without the wearer knowing." Army earplug lawsuit claims handled by national attorneys offering a free consultation to see if you or a loved one have a claim to file.
The 3M Army Earplug is a dual-purpose hearing protection device designed to function as an ordinary earplug one way and an extreme noise blocker the other. The earplugs soften the loud and constant noise emitted from everyday military equipment such as trucks, tanks, and turbine engines, when inserted into the ear way, and then as an extreme noise blocker on the battlefield when turned around and inserted the other. In Iraq and Afghanistan and in other conflicts, the 3M Army Earplug was standard issue and millions of American troops relied on them for hearing protection when firing guns or cannons on the practice field or battlefield. As is the case with most military equipment, the Army Earplug was included as a part of a much larger contract that 3M has with the military that provides the Army with many products and the company with billions in revenue.
The 3M Army Earplug was commissioned by the Army in 2003, some three years after the 3M began testing the hearing protection device. It was not until 15 years later did an anonymous 3M insider step forward to disclose what he/she knew about the design defects in the hearing device as well as the fact that company executives have known about the defects as early as the year 2000 and failed to tell the military. Because of the design defect, over 2 and one half million servicemen have suffered a hearing loss so severe that they were forced to file a claim for military benefits costing the American taxpayer billions. The 3M whistleblower information prompted a Department of Justice investigation that resulted in 3M being fined and actually paying almost $10 million for violating the False Claims Act. Not only that, the new and incriminating evidence against the company has encouraged those military members injured to consult with a 3M Army Earplug attorney to see if they qualify to file a claim for monetary compensation and punitive damages for failing to disclose the known earplug defect.
If you are a returning service member you should have your hearing tested immediately. If the results of your tests show hearing loss, you may wish to hire an earplug hearing loss attorney and file a claim for compensation over and above your military benefits.
Our attorneys specialize in holding large corporations accountable when they’ve placed profits ahead of safety. Through settlements and winning verdicts, our attorneys have obtained millions for our clients. Let us help you today.
Filing a lawsuit will allow you to hold 3M accountable for damage it has caused you or a loved one, while also providing real compensation for your medical expenses, suffering and loss. Contact us today for a free consultation.