For 3M Earplug Cases, Please Call Us At (678) 321-1672

3M recently settled a whistleblower lawsuit with the U.S. Government for $9.1 million on allegations of knowingly selling defective earplugs to the military. These earplugs were standard issue hearing protection for servicemembers deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan between 2003 and 2015. Hundreds of veterans who now experience hearing loss and tinnitus are filing suits against 3M on the same allegations.

What are the 3M Dual-Ended Combat Arms Earplugs?

3M Combat Arms Version 2 Earplugs (CAEv2) are designed specifically for soldiers to provide two different types of hearing protection. From one end they work like regular earplugs blocking out all forms of noise, but from the other, they block high-level noise, like explosives, while allowing for softer sounds like speech of comrades or enemy combatants to be heard.

What is the defect?

The defective design involves a short stem that allows the earplug to loosen in the ear, therefore letting in the dangerous noises they are intended to block. 3M employees allegedly knew of these design defects as early as 2000 and knowingly sold them to the US military, becoming their sole provider of selective attenuation earplugs.

What are the results of the defect?

Servicemembers are consistently exposed to dangerous and damaging noise levels, and these servicemembers relied on these earplugs for protection. Now, hundred of veterans are suing 3M for compensation of medical bills, lost wages, disability, pain and suffering, punitive damages, and other damages.

These veterans experience:

• Hearing loss  

• Tinnitus  

• Auditory damage  

• Deafness  

• Problems associated with or resulting from the above conditions, such as loss of work, dizziness, anxiety, and depression

I am a veteran who used the Dual-Ended Combat Arms Earplugs and experience hearing loss and/or tinnitus. Do I have a claim?

If you are an American veteran who used the Combat Arms Earplugs and now experiences hearing loss and/or tinnitus, you likely have a claim. Contact the Hirsch Law Firm to review your case and learn about next steps.

For 3M Earplug Cases, Please Call Us At  (678) 321-1672