Monday, October 7, 2019 - Hundreds of thousands of US Army troops serving in Afghanistan and Iraq during the peak years of the war following 911 were issued the faulty and fraudulently misrepresented 3M Combat Army Earplugs. Soldiers that have been interviewed have told investigators that they relied on and trusted that the device would work as well as any piece of standard-issue safety equipment, night vision, or body armor. Weighing a little more than an ounce and costing only pennies to manufacture, 3M convinced the Army that these particular earplugs were of the perfect high tech design to filter loud explosive bursts, like those from improvised explosive devices, or gunfire from riffles and tanks, while simultaneously allowing critical, life-saving low volume communications among soldiers and from their commanders. The 3M Combat Army Earplug failed on all accounts and as a result, more soldiers have returned home from war with some degree or another of deafness or tinnitus making hearing loss the number one reason soldiers are receiving military disability benefits. The failure of the 3M Combat Army Earplug is costing the US taxpayer billions of dollars per year in disability benefit payments to soldiers who would otherwise have been able to get gainful civilian employment and return to t normal life. 3M swindled the US government a second time when they convinced the Pentagon and the DOJ to settle for a paltry $9.1 million for selling the government a faulty protective device.
Veterans that are suffering from hearing loss are urged to consult with an Army Earplug lawyer and to discuss if they qualify to join hundreds of other veterans and file a claim against 3M for lump sum monetary compensation. Settlements won in jury trials are separate and do not jeopardize the current disability income a soldier may be receiving from the Army and will more completely compensate them for their life of future suffering.
Large jury awards for punitive damages are needed to get the word into the media to alert other veterans with hearing loss who may be suffering alone and in silence. Hundreds of articles have been now been written about soldiers who are suing 3M for fraud and compensation for their inability to earn a living and their pain and suffering. The Military Times has listed several excellent articles articulating the subject with headlines like "Hundreds of vets are suing over these defective combat earplugs." The US Marines address hearing loss in The Marine Corps Times in an article entitled "Hearing loss: 5 things Marines need to know." The Army Times writes "This infantryman's mission is to save soldiers' hearing" in a recent informative article.
Every soldier that has trusted the 3M Combat Army Earplug in battlefield situations and been rendered even partially deaf, needs to step up and hold 3M accountable for their negligence. Multi-billion dollar jury awards are possible to compensate those that risked their lives in the service of their country.
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.