Explore 3M Earplug Lawsuit Settlements Updates
Combat Arms earplugs were produced and provided by Aearo Technologies Inc. and its parent company, 3M Company, between 2003 and 2015. The purpose of the earplugs was to shield service members’ ears from the high decibel sounds that are a part of military training and warfare.
Regretfully, recent legal proceedings indicate that the earplugs frequently fell loose, leaving numerous soldiers vulnerable to tinnitus and/or permanent hearing loss. One of the most prevalent disabilities among military personnel is hearing loss. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) reports that among American veterans, hearing issues rank as the most common service-related condition. More than 2.3 million veterans were receiving compensation for tinnitus, and over 1.3 million veterans were receiving disability benefits for hearing loss as of 2020.
Courts frequently combine similar product-use claims into MDLs in order to improve organization and the judicial economy. Test trials that serve as indicators for upcoming cases are known as bellwether trials.
The initial trials yielded mixed results, with around two to one in favor of the plaintiffs and one in favor of the defendant (3M). There was a $13 million plaintiff’s verdict in November of 2021. There was a $22.5 million verdict in December of 2021. January saw more favorable decisions, including a startling $110 million award in a case involving two plaintiffs. A jury gave a single plaintiff $50 million at the end of March, and another case resulted in an $8 million decision. Ten of the sixteen cases that 3M has tried since 2019 have resulted in losses.
On August 29, 2023, 3M agreed to pay $6 billion to resolve the 3M earplug lawsuit. This sum would be distributed over six years, until 2029, and would consist of $5 billion in stock and $1 billion in 3M shares.
Depending on the severity of their injuries, each veteran may get an average payout of up to $25,000 if the 3M earplug lawsuit settlement is accepted by the huge class of plaintiffs.
The 3M earplug products liability lawsuit is the largest mass tort multidistrict lawsuit in U.S. history, with almost 240,000 veterans suing the company.
