Thousands of military members working in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other parts of the world, rely on their gear to keep them safe from harm. Between loud explosions and deafening gunfire, earplugs are essential for servicemen and women who are working hard to protect our country.
Unfortunately, the earplugs sold to the U.S. military for the past decade have caused several hearing problems due to a defect that prevents the devices from staying in the ear properly. According to The United States Department of Justice, the company who manufactured these earplugs knew about the faulty design, yet continued to sell them for military use anyways.
Seek Justice & Compensation for Your Injuries
If you served in the military between 2003 and 2015 and suffered hearing issues after using 3M earplugs, you may be eligible for compensation. At Peterson & Associates, P.C., our firm’s motto is Power, Passion, & Dedication™. We exemplify each of these qualities in every case we take and we are proud of the way we fight for the rights of our clients.
Our firm understands how frustrating it can be to suffer an injury due to someone else’s negligence, and we want to help you hold the liable party responsible for their harmful actions. Trust our award-winning team of Kansas City 3M earplug lawyers on your behalf, whether you suffered permanent hearing loss, chronic tinnitus, or any other hearing impairment.
Call 816-888-8888 today to discuss your case.
Who Qualifies for the 3M Earplug Lawsuit?
Soldiers deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan between 2003 and 2015 are at risk of sustaining hearing damage due to defective Dual-Ended Combat Arms Earplugs. Whether the devices were worn in training or during combat, they could have subjected soldiers to damaging noise levels.
Military members who were issued defective 3M earplugs may have suffered the following:
- Partial hearing loss
- Total hearing loss
- Tinnitus (ringing or buzzing in the ears)
If you are a serviceman or woman who suffered hearing loss after being deployed between 2003 and 2015, contact a Kansas City 3M earplug attorney from Peterson & Associates to learn about your right to compensation.
Who is Liable for Military Hearing Loss?
In an effort to protect military members from hearing damage, the U.S. military Defense Logistics Agency purchased Dual-Ended Combat Arms Earplugs, Version 2 from 3M Company. The earplugs were originally created by Aearo Technologies, Inc. before 3M took control. According to the whistleblower, when 3M took over, they knew about the product defects. Nevertheless, 3M continued to sell the earplugs to the U.S. military, knowing they could cause soldiers irreparable hearing damage.
The dual-ended earplugs were designed to protect soldiers from damaging noise, but due to a severe flaw that led the earplugs to be too short to work correctly in some soldiers’ ears, the earplugs would loosen imperceptibly and become less effective. When improperly worn, the earplugs would fail to protect soldiers from serious or permanent hearing damage.
3M has admitted fault for selling the military defective earplugs and has agreed to pay $9.1 million to resolve the issue. By knowingly selling the military defective products and failing to disclose those defects to the Defense Logistics Agency, 3M violated the False Claims Act and put countless soldiers at risk.
Knowing Your Rights
If you or someone you love suffered hearing damage, including tinnitus, you may have a personal injury claim. Any military member who served between 2003 and 2015 could have worn the defective earplugs and suffered permanent hearing damage as a result. If you were injured, you deserve to seek justice for the harm you suffered.