Soldiers Thought Their Hearing Protection Was Adequate

Most soldiers never questioned whether or not the 3M Combat Earplugs would work and assumed what 3M told them was true

Monday, September 28, 2020 - A recent article in CBS News interview two soldiers with hearing loss who claimed that tinnitus, the constant ringing in the ears, they suffered from was tantamount to torture. Soldiers interviewed were upset because thousands of fighters automatically relied on the representation of the earplugs being 100% effective and that the Army was providing the best hearing protection available sparing no cost. Soldiers believed the devices would work as advertised and never gave a thought to what would happen if they did not. Combat fighters were also more preoccupied with protecting each other's lives and not becoming maimed than they were with losing their hearing. Before the wars, most soldiers assumed that losing some hearing was a necessary evil of serving in the military until they were guaranteed that the Army had the solution.

Hundreds of soldiers are alleging that 3M, the maker of the defective 3M Dual-Sided Combat Army Earplug, knew that the hearing protection device would not work properly because of dangerous design defects and failed to inform the military. The Army Earplug's literal shortcomings were brought to 3M's attention by Aearo Inc., the earplugs original manufacturer. A company whistleblower explained that the earplug would be too short to fit in some soldier's ear canal forcing the company to modify the flanges. These modifications required soldiers to stop what they were doing and remove the earplugs, make adjustments to them, and reinsert them. This maneuver was impractical in the heat of combat. Soldiers were not instructed on how to use the new earplugs. These brave soldiers with permanent, life-altering hearing impairment have joined litigation around the country to seek substantial lump sum compensation to supplement their military disability income.

Military veterans returning home from the war in Iraq and Afghanistan with hearing damage and have filed for disability compensation benefits in record numbers. According to the Veterans Administration (VA) hearing loss is the leading reason for becoming disabled in combat. Military Benefits.Info tell readers "According to the Department of Veterans Affairs official site, hearing damage affects nearly 30 million people in America and is the most prevalent service-connected disability among American Veterans." Soldiers are filing lawsuits against the manufacturer of their standard-issued hearing protection device for additional lump-sum compensation. If you feel you have served in the armed forces and think you may have suffered hearing damage you should speak with an Army Earplug hearing damage lawyer to plot the appropriate course of action to file a claim. You may have to prove your hearing loss by seeing an independent audiologist for a full battery of hearing tests to certify your hearing loss. It is then advisable to consult a representative for the exact procedures to follow for your base. Military Benefits.Info advises soldiers to "consult a VA representative about your condition, the amount of compensation, and any special requirements to apply for or receive compensation or VA benefits related to these conditions."

More Recent 3M Earplug Lawsuit News:

• 3M May Settle Army Earplug Cases For Tens of Billions of Dollars | 4/6/2021
• 3M Combat Army Earplug Trial To Begin In Two Weeks | 3/17/2021
• Whistleblower Lawsuit Alerted The Military To Army Earplug Malfunction | 2/20/2021
• 3 Cases Selected For Army Hearing Loss Trial | 1/29/2021
• Military Veterans Tell the Stories of Their Hearing Loss Nightmare | 1/8/2021
• Military Veteran Hearing Loss Trials to Start in Spring 2021 | 12/26/2020
• Hundreds of Veterans Continue To Sign Up To Sue 3M For Defective Earplugs | 12/14/2020
• 3M's Greed Contributed To Thousands of Military Deaths and Injuries | 12/6/2020
• Taxpayers Foot The Bill For Army Earplugs That Turned Out To Be Defective | 11/21/2020
• Tinnitus Sufferers May Have Difficulties For The Remainder of Their Lives | 11/14/2020
• Aearo Inc. and 3M Took Shorcuts And Did Not Properly Redesign The Combat Army Earplugs | 11/3/2020
• US Military Alleges 3M Fraudulently Represented The Army Earplug | 10/27/2020
• Large Numbers of Soldiers Are Filing 3M Army Earplug Lawsuits Against 3M Inc. | 10/15/2020
• Army Veterans Are Preparing For Court Over Hearing Loss | 9/24/2020
• Details Are Starting to Emerge About The 3M Army Earplug | 9/22/2020
• 3M Faces an Uphill Challenge in Defense of The Army Earplug | 9/18/2020
• 3M Faces an Uphill Challenge in Defense of The Army Earplug | 9/9/2020
• 200,000 Military Veterans Suing 3M For Defective Hearing Protection | 8/31/2020
• Thousands of Military Veterans Suing Over Hearing Loss | 8/26/2020
• Federal Judge Rules 3M Is Responsible For The Army Earplug Design | 7/28/2020
• Army Testing Points To The Need For Improving Hearing Protection Equipment | 7/14/2020
• Trials By Plaintiffs Alleging Hearing Damage From 3M Army Earplugs To Begin in the Spring of 2021 | 7/10/2020
• Army Veterans With Tinnitus Are Unable To Live Normal Lives | 6/29/2020
• Soldier's Lawsuits Bring Needed Attention To Developing Hearing Protection | 6/12/2020
• US Army Will Use 3D Printing To Create Individual Custom Fitting Ear Protection Devices | 6/3/2020
• Unsealed Court Documents Show 3M Made Nearly 1000% Profit Selling Combat Earplugs | 5/26/2020
• The US Army Is Training Soldiers to Protect Their Hearing | 5/7/2020
• Billions of Dollars Will Be Needed To Reimburse Taxpayers For Veterans Hearing Loss Disability Payments | 5/1/2020
• The US Military Prioritized Soldier's Hearing Protection Needs In Iraq and Afghanistan | 4/17/2020
• 3M Thinks Army Earplug Lawsuits Against Them May Be Thrown Out of Court Before They Begin | 4/6/2020
• Hearing Protection May Have Been Overlooked By Some During Combat Operations | 3/30/2020
• There Is Still Time To File An Army Earplug Hearing Loss Claim | 3/18/2020
• Naval Flight Deck Workers Also Experienced Hearing Damage Due To Defective 3M Earplugs | 3/11/2020
• Army Veterans With Hearing Damage Are Filing Lawsuits Against The Maker of Their Defective Earplugs | 3/5/2020
• Army Earplug Trials Against 3M Could Start Early Next Year | 2/18/2020
• Improvised Explosive Devices Caused More Serious Army Injuries Than Any Other Enemy Weapon | 2/6/2020
• Aereo Inc, maker of 3M Earplugs May Have Known The Combat Safety Device Would Not Work | 2/3/2020
• 3M Corporation Could Be Forced to Pay Veterans For Their Hearing Damage | 1/24/2020
• There Are Resources Available To Help Military Veterans Cope With Their Hearing Loss | 1/7/2020
• The False Claims Act Settlement Against 3M Proides Ammunition to Lawsuits Filed By Soldiers With Hearing Damage | 12/31/2019
• Faulty Combat Earplug Cost Taxpayers Billions | 12/24/2019
• Hearing Damage May Effect More Than 60 percent of Military | 12/20/2019
• Military Veterans Returning Home Tell Stories of Hearing Loss In Spite of Wearing Hearing Protection | 12/9/2019
• Hearing Loss Effects Servicemen From All Branches of The Military | 11/20/2019
• Lawsuits Pile Up Alleging 3M Earplug Negligence | 11/14/2019
• Service Members Claim 3M's Defective Combat Army Earplug Caused Permanent Hearing Damage | 11/11/2019
• Soldiers Can Fight For Compensation In Court For Their Hearing Loss | 10/31/2019
• Whistleblowers Can Save Taxpayers Money and Military Servicemember Lives | 10/15/2019
• New Army Earplug Lawsuit Accuses 3M of Fraud | 10/11/2019
• Military Veterans Are Suing 3M For Making Faulty Earplugs | 10/7/2019
• Military Personel Suffering From Tinnitus Have Found Ways To Alleviate Their Suffering | 9/26/2019
• Hearing Loss is Now Recognized For The Debilitating Service Injury It Is | 9/17/2019
• US Service Members Are Spreading The Word About The Faulty And Defective 3M Combat Army Earplug | 9/12/2019
• 3M Vows to Fight Lawsuits Alleging The Faulty Design of the 3M Combat Army Earplug | 8/28/2019
• Faulty 3M Earplugs Cost Thousands of Soldiers Their Hearing | 8/23/2019
• The Army's Hearing May Be Improving Soon | 8/13/2019
• CBS Interviewed Returning Servicemen As To The 3M Combat Army Earplug Experiences | 8/8/2019
• The Army's Tactical Communication and Protective System (TCPS) May Replace The Ineffective 3M Combat Army Earplug | 8/6/2019
• Soldiers Should Be Checked For Hearing Loss | 8/1/2019
• The 3M Combat Army Earplug Malfunctioned Causing Permanent Disability | 7/25/2019
• 3M Army Earplug Failure Can Cause Post Traumatic Stress Disorder | 7/18/2019
• Military Veterans May Be Unaware That They Have Hearing Loss | 7/11/2019
• Today’s Enclosed Gun Battles Can Increase Hearing Injuries | 7/8/2019
• 3M Army Earplug Lawsuits Are Moving Forward To Discovery in Multi-District Litigation | 6/27/2019
• Service Members Continue To File Army Earplug Lawsuits | 6/24/2019
• 3M Failed Soldiers By Selling Earplugs They Knew Were Defective To The Military | 6/20/2019
• Service Members Have Needlessly Lost Hearing Due to 3M's Fraud, Deceit, and Deception | 6/11/2019
• Hearing Loss Should Be Taken More Seriously | 6/4/2019
• Hearing Loss Has Many Serious Permanent Psychological Implications for Service Members | 5/28/2019
• Soldiers With Hearing Damage Are Blaming Their Earplugs | 5/22/2019
• Service Members Experience Hearing Loss From Defective Earplugs | 5/14/2019
• Army Servicemen Are Filing Hearing Loss Claims Against Earplug Maker 3M | 5/9/2019
• Hearing Loss From Defective Army Earplugs On The Frontlines and The Practice Range | 5/1/2019
• Hearing Loss Can Be A Deadly Battlefield Injury | 4/26/2019
• Servicemen Describe Hearing Loss Caused By The 3M Army Earplug | 4/22/2019
• The False Claims Act website helps whistleblower anonymously come forward easily and without fear of reprisals by their superiors | 4/15/2019
• Hundreds Of Army Earplug Lawsuits Consolidated in Federal Court | 4/9/2019
• Soldiers Are Filing Claims Against 3M Army Earplugs | 4/8/2019
• Army Veterans Have Suffered Hearing Loss From Defective Earplugs | 4/5/2019
• Whistleblower Reports Defective 3M Army Earplugs | 4/2/2019
• Service Member Suffer Tinnitus From Defective 3M Army Earplugs | 3/29/2019

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