Tuesday, January 7, 2020 - Soldiers returning from overseas combat have suffered amputation injuries like losing an arm or a leg but more often than not they also are suffering from other less-obvious combat-related injuries like post-traumatic stress disorder and hearing damage from the faulty and defective standard-issue earplugs that they relied on as much as their battle helmets and flack jackets. The Veterans Administration (VA) reports that disability payments for hearing damage is the leading claim and costs US taxpayers billions of dollars every year. These payments are being made to soldiers simultaneously with 3M Inc. reaping similar billions in profits having sold a hearing protection device to the military which they admittedly knew would not work. Soldiers with hearing damage are filing claims against 3M in court to be monetarily compensated for the pain and suffering they are experiencing. Hearing loss due to repetitive, high-decibel noises that soldiers were exposed to can be permanent, irreversible and disabling. Most soldiers with hearing loss are unable to carry on a normal conversation and are unable to hold many types of jobs or raise a normal family. In addition to their disability pay and filing a lawsuit against 3M, there is an abundance of resources available to service members that may help them better cope with their hearing injury and adjust to reentering society. 3M Army Earplug lawyers offer a free consultation and legal protection and have a winning track record against big corporations.
The Hearing Loss Association of America is a national organization that holds meetings in cities and local communities where hearing loss and other professionals come and speak to those who have hearing damage including many military veterans. For example, a recent meeting in San Francisco California featured people who shared the unique struggles they were having dealing with their hearing loss and the ways they went about overcoming them. Some of the problems that the hearing impaired are having include failing to acknowledge that they have hearing loss due to the stigma that surrounds being hearing impaired including not wanting to be tested initially. The hearing impaired also reported feeling embarrassed to have to ask another person to repeat themselves over and over and sometimes the person they were in a conversation with gets frustrated by the repeated requests and terminates the conversation. Some felt that others thought they were thought of as stupid for not being able to understand (hear) them, and other problems related to hearing their surroundings or carrying on a normal conversation.
Soldiers with hearing loss are urged to use some basic techniques to better deal with their hearing impairment. First off experts told the group that they need to fully accept their hearing disability and be forthcoming at the beginning of conversations to let the other party know that they are hearing impaired and to speak more slowly and clearly. Once a hearing impairment is accepted, those affected should go to their audiologist and get fitted for a hearing device to lessen the problem. Please visit https://patch.com/california/sanleandro/struggles-strategies-coping-hearing-loss , for a helpful outline of the meeting.
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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.