Thursday, August 1, 2019 - Hearing impairment affects nearly 3 million military service veterans, and disability payments by the Veterans Administration resulting from hearing loss are set to reach one billion dollars per year by 2020. These numbers will surely grow in the years to come as more and more veterans realize that their hearing loss was caused by the defective 3M Combat Army Earplug that was issued by the military from the years 2002 and 2015 through a multi-billion dollar government contract with the company. 3M's fraud was brought to light by a company employee-turned-whistleblower that exposed the company to the Department of Justice (DOJ). 3M agreed to pay $9.1 million dollars back to US taxpayers however the defective earplugs have caused billions of dollars in actual damages to soldiers. As a result, thousands of soldiers have contacted the military base where they were assigned for a referral to a combat army earplug lawyer to file a claim for reimbursement of the lost wages, medical expenses, and pain and suffering caused by 3M's greed and malfeasance. 3M not only injured and potentially killed many US service members, but they also put the national security of the United States at risk by falsely promising the effectiveness of the protective device that soldiers relied upon the device in combat situations. Army earplug lawsuits are handled by top national attorneys with vast experience representing American families harmed from faulty 3M Army Earplugs.
Active duty combat is not the only way military personnel has lost their hearing. Soldiers participating in any one of a number of routine military activities could have experienced hearing loss and the first thing they should do is to be examined by an independent audiologist to ascertain the degree of hearing impairment they have. Hearing loss ranges from slight or having difficulty staying up with a conversation, to profound deafness like being unable to hear a thing. Military personnel may complain about a constant ringing in the ears called tinnitus. Tinnitus is a maddening condition that can cause sleep deprivation leading to mental illness. In any event, hearing loss is as serious a military-related injury as losing an eye or a limb.
Combat-related activities are an obvious source of potential hearing loss from rifle fire and improvised explosive devices that were the trademark of middle eastern enemies. If your unit was hit by an IED you may be on disability income for other related injuries but that does not prevent you from also filing a claim for the hearing damage that occurred during the blast. Everyday training exercises on the shooting range exposes soldiers to dangerously loud gunfire and those wearing the malfunctioning 3M Combat Army Earplug may have experienced hearing loss. Turbine aircraft engines also create unsafe high decibel levels and military personnel on aircraft carriers may have hearing damage as well. There is virtually no military service activity that does not expose the individual to hearing damage, be it blowing something up, shooting at something, or launching a rocket or mortar or driving. That said proper hearing protection is the most important safety device that a soldier that must have.
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.