Friday, March 29, 2019 - Military personnel that were issued the 3M Army Earplugs are experiencing a form of hearing loss called "tinnitus" that can have the effect of reducing every aspect of one's quality of life at the very least and in extreme cases, the potential to drive its victims stark raving mad. Soldiers, most of whom are officers and either retired or on disability income due to their hearing loss have filed claims against 3M, maker of the defective hearing protection device and seek reimbursement for medical-related expenses, loss of income, pain and suffering and the mental anguish that only tinnitus sufferers can attest to.
According to the Mayo Clinic, "Tinnitus is the perception of noise or ringing in the ears. A common problem, tinnitus affects about 15 to 20 percent of people. Tinnitus isn't a condition itself - it's a symptom of an underlying condition, such as age-related hearing loss, ear injury or a circulatory system disorder." In the cases of soldiers, ear injury resulting in hearing loss can be a common side effect of using firearms, explosives, and other military equipment that military personnel are required to use every day. Armed forces personnel were led to believe that the dual purpose 3M Army earplug would protect them from hearing damage when used on the firing range or on the actual battlefield.
Tinnitus sufferers not only have difficulty hearing, but they also have a hard time sleeping and attempt to cover up the ringing in their ears by using a fan, playing music, or leaving the television on during sleeping hours. Certain patients report that taking Vitamin B12, Folate, Magnesium, and Melatonin can help alleviate the condition's symptoms, the most common of which is a constant ringing in the ears. Web MD suggests a plan of treatment with prescription anti-anxiety drugs such as "low doses of Valium or antidepressants such as Elavil. The use of a steroid placed into the middle ear along with an anti-anxiety medicine called alprazolam has been shown to be effective (in treating tinnitus) for some people." Tinnitus never gets better, only worse over time.
Never ones to just sit idly by, army personnel injured by the 3M earplug are hiring army earplug defect lawyers to represent them in filing their claims against 3m. At Fort Campbell and other Army bases around the world, thousands of service members are assembling to form groups base on where they are stationed to file claims against 3M for negligence in failing to warn the government of the earplug's defects. According to Nashville Public Radio.org, George Dooley, a retired Fort Campbell infantryman says in the lawsuit that "he used the Combat Arms earplugs while stationed at Fort Campbell, in Germany and when deployed to Iraq in 2006. He left the Army in 2008, and the lawsuit says the subsequent hearing problems have caused physical and emotional damage, the constant ringing in his ears interferes with his everyday conversations and affects his sleep. Frequently he has to talk loudly, have the TV playing, or have other noise on so he can try to cope with his tinnitus. Army Earplug lawsuit attorneys handling national earplug lawsuits are offering families and individuals harmed by the use of Army Earplugs free consultation and no obligation before filing a claim.
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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.