Understanding the 3M Earplug Lawsuit and Who Qualifies
U.S. militaries deserve effective and safe equipment to protect our country and a reliable supply for the government. Nobody should suffer serious injuries due to a defective product.
However, if you were a military member between 2003 and 2015, you probably used the 3M Dual-Ended Combat Arms Earplugs version 2.
A defective design caused severe damage to the hearing of men and women in the military due to excessive noise exposure. That’s why our 3M earplug lawsuit lawyers are ready to assist you in seeking justice.
The 3M earplug lawsuit is a mass tort lawsuit involving 3M’s Combat Arms earplugs, which caused many members of the U.S. military to suffer from hearing loss and tinnitus.
Even today, there are allegations that the earplugs fail to protect military personnel from constant noise, causing severe damage to the users’ ears. These dual-ended earplugs have a design error that exposes the user to excessive noise, making the company’s promised plugs block the sound into a lie.
Here is when our 3M lawsuit lawyers come into the scene, trying to help those military members fight for the compensation they are entitled to.
Who Is Eligible to File a 3M Earplug Lawsuit in Arizona?
To be eligible to file a claim for these earplugs or to contact a 3M earplug law firm, first, you will prove you were in the U.S. military when these plugs were used between 2002 and 2015. Likewise, you may have any range of hearing difficulties due to using these earplugs, which can range from tinnitus to total hearing loss. Even if your career was impacted due to the hearing impairments, you will be eligible to file a lawsuit. If you require assistance with your case, contact our 3M earplug lawyers to support you during your legal journey.
Health Problems Caused by Defective 3M Earplugs
The defective 3M earplugs cause different hearing problems that, although they may look minor, these health problems affect the person’s daily life and even their careers, making them a serious issue in the long term, too. Some of the most common hearing impairments our 3M earplug attorney finds in these lawsuits are:
- Hearing loss (conductive hearing loss, sensorineural hearing loss, muffled or distorted sounds)
- Tinnitus
- Balance issues / Loss of balance
- Auditory processing disorder
- Difficulties participating in social interactions
- Problems understanding speech
3M’s Responsibility and Legal Violations
Despite the broken promise about the 3M earplugs, the responsibility of having design flaws that lead to serious consequences for the U.S. military members who use their devices. This is why 3M faces mass litigation, where they compromised to resolve about 300,000 lawsuits. A significant portion of the 3M earplugs lawsuits were brought on behalf of the government since they discovered that the company covered up the fact the dual-ended plugs could stay slightly loose on the ear, causing hearing damage. This made several 3M lawsuit attorneys aware of the issue, and they started helping other military members who went through the same problems seek justice and compensation for the harm these plugs caused.
Compensation for Victims of Defective 3M Earplugs
According to the latest claims and the agreement with 3M in 2023, they will pay $6 billion to settle lawsuits related to the earplugs from the U.S. military members who used their defective earplugs. Around 250,000 lawsuit cases are included in this settlement; however, if you are thinking of filing a claim, we recommend you contact a 3M earplugs lawyer who will help you discern the type of damage you must include in your lawsuit.
The type of damages included in these lawsuits are:
- Pain and suffering
- Medical bills
- Past lost wages
- Future lost wages
- Permanent or temporary disability
- Punitive damages
- Loss of enjoyment of life
How Compensation Is Calculated for Hearing Damage Claims
Calculate the compensation you are entitled to for hearing damage caused by 3M earplugs; you will need to understand the percentage of hearing loss and the severity of the symptoms to use as a base for your settlement. To do so, you will require an audiologist to perform an audiogram test to know the degree of hearing loss you have. Other factors that may affect the compensation are the effects of the hearing loss in your life, the impact on your ability to work, the presence and severity of tinnitus, and if the injury occurred at an early stage of using the plugs. Still, your 3M attorneys should include all the possible damages to have the final settlement.
Filing a 3M Earplug Lawsuit in Arizona
As with most legal procedures, you must follow some steps to file a lawsuit for 3M earplugs. Since filing a lawsuit will require time and dedication to build a solid case to obtain the compensation you deserve. We recommend you, as a 3M earplug lawyer, follow these steps to file your lawsuit:
How a Lawyer Can Help with Your 3M Earplug Lawsuit in Arizona
At Phoenix Accident and Injury Law Firm, our 3M earplug lawsuit lawyers understand how difficult it is to face life after losing your career or life enjoyment due to a hearing loss problem or tinnitus caused by loose 3M earplugs. We want to help you obtain the compensation you deserve.
Apply today and receive a free consultation where
you can tell us your story!
Don’t worry, we work on a contingency basis and have offices located conveniently in different cities in Arizona.
Legal Process and What to Expect in a 3M Lawsuit
During your legal journey for the 3M lawsuit, you understand this is a product liability claim, mainly filed for veterans who used 3M earplugs during their service and suffered hearing loss or tinnitus. This legal process is multidistrict litigation, which means if you file a lawsuit, the federal court will consolidate similar ones into one case to save time and resources. You may have to contract a 3M earplug lawyer to discuss your situation and understand if you have a case related to this lawsuit. In general, you will have to meet the criteria to be eligible to file a lawsuit for the 3M earplug case; that’s why you must have all your documentation, your DD214, and your Veteran Administration record to prove you serve in the U.S. military and suffered consequences of using these plugs.
3M Lawsuit Frequently Asked Questions
The earplugs were in military use from 2002 to 2015, and slightly longer for the industrial versions. In 2015, a new type of earplug, known as version 4, replaced the version 2 product for military use. The new design has fixed the design flaw of the old earplugs that caused the hearing issues. While the new design is different, and despite complaints from both the military and commercial sectors, neither the Defense Logistics Agency nor 3M have ever called for the recall or removal of the version 2 earplugs from use or distribution resulting in 3M earplug lawsuits for military personnel.
The earplug is designed to fit snugly in the ear and protect the user’s hearing against potential damage from the excessively loud noise of gunfire, explosions, construction work, and so on. Unfortunately, the design was made a little too short. This allowed the 3M earplug to become loose without the user being aware, meaning they did not block as much noise as they should. The earplugs were in use for 10 years before the design flaw was found.
Combat Arms Version 2 (CAEv2)
The first of these defective earplugs were used and commissioned by the military between 2002 and 2015, known as the Combat Arms Version 2 (CAEv2). Each was around an inch long, and had dual tips, one black and one yellow, making them easy to identify. In 2018, 3M Company agreed to pay $9.1 million to resolve allegations that it supplied the United States with defective Combat Arms earplugs.
3M E-A-R ARC earplugs
The second are known as the 3M E-A-R ARC earplugs. They were used for ear protection in industrial and commercial settings. They operate in a similar way to the CAEv2 plugs and have the same problems.
If you were in the military between 2002 and 2015 and used the CAEv2 3M earplugs, or you have used the 3M E-A-R ARC earplugs, and have since gone on to suffer hearing damage such as tinnitus or loss of hearing, you may be eligible for a 3M earplug lawsuit for military personnel. You must have been diagnosed with hearing loss, tinnitus, or other hearing issues by a licensed medical practitioner.
While the statute of limitations on this case is 2 years, whether you are eligible for a suit will depend on your individual situation including when you used the earplugs and when you were diagnosed with hearing issues.
To discuss your individual case, call our 3M earplug lawyers and we can figure out whether you are eligible for a 3M earplug lawsuit in Arizona.
Those who file a case against 3M and are awarded a 3M earplug lawsuit payout may recover the cost of the medical bills incurred during the treatment and diagnosis of hearing loss. In addition, they may recover lost earnings from being unable to work, emotional damages, pain and suffering, and other financial costs that have been incurred.
