The 3M earplug lawsuit refers to a legal case involving the multinational corporation 3M and its Combat Arms earplugs, a product designed for military personnel to protect against hearing loss. The lawsuit centers around allegations that the earplugs were defective and failed to provide adequate protection, leading to hearing damage for thousands of soldiers.
In 2016, a whistleblower lawsuit was filed against 3M by a former employee, alleging that the company knowingly sold defective earplugs to the U.S. military without disclosing the product's flaws. The earplugs, known as the dual-ended Combat Arms earplugs Version 2 (CAEv2), were standard issue equipment for military service members between 2003 and 2015.
The allegations claimed that 3M was aware of design defects that prevented the earplugs from fitting properly in users' ears, which could cause them to loosen and fail to provide adequate noise reduction. It was further alleged that 3M manipulated test results to meet government standards and secure a contract with the military.
In July 2018, 3M agreed to pay $9.1 million to settle the lawsuit without admitting liability. The settlement resolved claims brought by the U.S. Department of Justice, but it did not address claims brought by individual service members. Subsequently, thousands of veterans and active-duty military personnel filed personal injury lawsuits against 3M seeking compensation for hearing loss and related damages.
The lawsuits claim that 3M's defective earplugs resulted in hearing impairment, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), and other hearing-related conditions among service members. Many veterans argue that they were not adequately warned about the potential risks associated with using the earplugs and that 3M should be held accountable for the resulting injuries.
The 3M earplug lawsuit is ongoing, with various individual cases consolidated into multidistrict litigation (MDL) in a federal court in Florida. The outcome of these cases remains to be seen, but the lawsuits highlight the importance of ensuring the safety and effectiveness of equipment provided to military personnel and the potential legal consequences for companies that fail to do so.