New Jersey Defective 3M Earplugs Lawyer
Military service members rely on earplugs to protect their hearing from loud noises associated with active combat, such as gunfire and bomb blasts. Unfortunately, Combat Arms earplugs manufactured by 3M and sold to all four branches of the U.S. military were defective, resulting in thousands of soldiers with permanent hearing damage, hearing loss and tinnitus.
If you suffered any type of hearing damage or ear injury while using 3M earplugs in the military, contact The Law Offices of Jeffrey S. Hasson, P.C. right away to discuss your rights with an experienced attorney. You may be entitled to compensation.
How a Product Liability Lawyer Can Help
A product liability lawyer has the education, knowledge and hands-on experience to help you build a strong and compelling claim to financial compensation. While it is difficult to go up against a major corporation such as 3M on your own, hiring an attorney can allow you to level the playing field and negotiate for a fair monetary recovery. Your lawyer can take care of complicated legal paperwork and processes on your behalf while you concentrate on your future. Hiring a lawyer increases the odds of a successful product liability lawsuit for defective 3M earplugs.
What Is Defective in 3M Earplugs?
The 3M earplugs that are currently involved in about 250,000 lawsuits are the dual-ended Combat Arms earplugs. The original earplugs used technology from Aearo Technologies, LLC, which 3M purchased in 2008. Before they were taken from the market in 2015, 3M advertised these earplugs for their dual use: to fully block noise if inserted in one way and only partially block noise if inserted the other way.
Rather than effectively protecting the ear from harmful ballistic noises, however, the 3M earplugs were defective and did not fit properly in the ear to shield it from injury. The instructions for correctly using the earplug and getting a proper fit also were not clear. This led to hundreds of thousands of soldiers suffering from hearing damage, ringing in the ears, loss of hearing and other harm from loud noises during training and in combat zones.
In 2018, 3M reached a $9.1 million settlement with the U.S. Justice Department to resolve a case involving a whistleblower who alleged that 3M knew about but failed to disclose deficiencies with the product and the potential hazards for military members. This settlement, however, did not pay the military service members for their injuries, medical bills, permanent damage or other losses. Instead, hundreds of thousands of product liability lawsuits have been filed against 3M on behalf of injured military members to pursue this compensation.
What Compensation Is Available?
Many lawsuits against 3M for their defective earplugs have been consolidated into class actions, mass torts and multidistrict litigations. These are collective lawsuits with multiple defendants bringing similar claims against the same defendant. They make the legal process faster and more effective for everyone involved. However, joining a class action might not be right for you based on the circumstances of your case. An individual lawsuit for hearing damage caused by defective 3M earplugs could result in greater financial compensation for you and your family.
The compensation you may be entitled to receive for your hearing damage could pay for your present and future medical bills, ongoing therapies or medications, permanent hearing loss or disability, lost wages and capacity to earn, pain and suffering, diminished quality of life, legal fees, and more. Discuss the value of your case to understand how much it might be worth with an attorney before accepting a fast settlement from 3M’s insurance company.
Speak to Lawyer About a Defective 3M Earplug Lawsuit Today
If you sustained hearing loss or another type of damage to your ears from wearing 3M earplugs during your service in the military, you may be able to file a lawsuit against 3M and pursue the financial compensation that you deserve. will do everything necessary to maximize your chances of financial recovery for defective 3M earplugs, starting with a free case consultation. Call (201) 928-0300 or submit our online contact form right away to speak to our attorneys.