Trials By Plaintiffs Alleging Hearing Damage From 3M Army Earplugs To Begin in the Spring of 2021

Army Earplug Lawsuit News

Thousands of soldiers claim that they have suffered life-altering hearing damage as a result of trusting their Army hearing protection device

Friday, July 10, 2020 - The first 3M Army Earplug trials are set to begin in April of 2021. Over 150,000 similar claims against 3M have been consolidated into multi-district-litigation to streamline administrative court proceedings and discovery of evidence. Plaintiffs blame the 3M Dual Sided Combat Army Earplug for causing their hearing damage. According to About Lawsuits.com, "U.S. District Judge presiding over the federal litigation indicates that the first "bellwether" case will go to trial on April 5, 2021." In a nutshell, military veterans allege that the one-size-fits-all design of the standard-issue combat hearing protection device did not fit all soldiers properly and causing them to loosen and allow loud noise to enter the ear causing hearing damage. In 2018, 3M recognized the issue and paid over $9 million to settle a US Department of Justice whistleblower lawsuit that brought to light the negligence of the designer of the earplug, Aearo Inc.'s failing to warn the government to what they knew about the product's design defect.

Thousands of soldiers fighting in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were issued the 3M Dual-Sided Combat Army Earplugs. Many returned home with moderate to severe hearing damage. As a result of not being able to hold a regular job or have normal relationships due to their hearing damage, soldiers have turned to Army Earplug Lawyers to file claims against 3M the manufacturer of the allegedly defective hearing protection device. Soldiers may have suffered hearing damage during any one of various military activities such as operating military equipment, driving or riding in military vehicles, training with firearms on the firing range, and especially during military combat. Soldiers returning home from overseas report hearing loss or tinnitus, a constant and maddening ringing in one's ears. Army Earplugs attorneys are available for a free consultation with no obligation to file a lawsuit claim.

The financial loss to soldiers and also to US taxpayers due to Aearo Tech and 3M's negligence is in the billions of dollars and growing every year with no end in sight. Hearing loss is the leading cause of soldiers requesting disability benefits costing billions in taxpayer dollars every year. Also, hundreds of thousands of hearing disabled soldiers report being unable to get a job or have a normal relationship or be part of a family.

The Veterans Administration is conducting several ongoing studies into the causes of hearing loss. According to the agency, "VA researchers, engineers, and clinicians are studying ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat hearing loss. They are also addressing a wide range of technological, medical, rehabilitative, and social issues associated with tinnitus and blast exposure." Also, the VA reports "Hearing problems such as tinnitus are the most prevalent service-connected disability among American Veterans. The Association of Retired Persons (AARP) deals with hearing loss on a national scale and closely monitors individuals over 55 that have suffered military-related hearing damage. "Veterans are 30 percent more likely than nonveterans to have a severe hearing impairment, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analysis. Those who served after September 2001 are four times more likely," according to AARP.

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