Countless active duty military and veterans are suffering from severe and permanent hearing damage after using standard-issue 3M earplugs while in combat. The company has now agreed to pay a settlement for the many who suffered because 3M failed to divulge information about certain product defects that hindered the earplugs’ hearing protection ability. As a result, those who served during foreign conflicts approximately between 2003 and 2015 were not notified or properly instructed of how to adequately insert these products. Thanks to a whistleblower who stepped forward about 3M’s lack of transparency and gross negligence in distributing these defective products, the company has discontinued its dual-ended Combat Arms
version 2 (“CAEv.2”) earplugs. It also paid a $9.1 million settlement to the U.S. Department of Justice for falsifying test results and knowingly putting thousands of soldiers at risk.
How Do These Products Cause Harm?
3M’s dual-ended earplugs were not standardized to adequately fit military personnel because the design was symmetrical, meaning the earplugs would loosen and ultimately cause painful and debilitating symptoms like tinnitus or hearing loss.
3M’s Background of Negligence
3M is presumed to have known about the ineffectiveness of their products since 2003, when it acquired Aearo Technologies, Inc. The company resolved the settlement which alleged that it violated the False Claims Act by knowing their products would not perform in the line of duty and not disclosing the significant design defects to the U.S. military.
Injured & Seeking Compensation You Deserve? Our Outstanding & Professional Team Can Help
Whether you are an active or veteran military service member who suffers from partial or full hearing loss, don’t wait to enlist the services of an accomplished and talented legal advocate, such as ours at Harmonson Law Firm. We are particularly dedicated to giving back in any way possible to the brave men and women who put their lives on the line for our freedom.
If you are seeking a 3M military earplug attorney in El Paso with the expertise and skill to deliver the compensation you deserve, call (915) 233-6427.
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