In July of 2018, the United States Department of Justice announced that 3M had agreed to pay $9.1 million in order to resolve allegations that they knowingly sold the Dual-Ended Combat Arms™ Earplugs, Version 2 to the U.S. military without disclosing defects that hampered the effectiveness of the hearing protection device. The ear plugs were originally manufactured by Aearo Technologies, which was acquired by 3M in 2008.
According to the lawsuit, Aearo was aware of the ear plug’s defects as early as 2000, many years before it and 3M became the exclusive provider of selective attenuation ear plugs to the military. Specifically, the United States alleged that 3M, and its predecessor, Aearo Technologies, Inc., knew the Combat Arms™ Earplugs v2 were too short for proper insertion into soldiers’ ears and that the ear plugs could loosen imperceptibly and therefore did not perform well for certain individuals, the implication of which could result in serious and permanent hearing damage. It was also alleged in the lawsuit that this design defect was known to 3M but was not disclosed to the Department of Defense and that 3M may have manipulated test results to make it appear the ear plugs met government standards.
If you, or a loved one were issued Dual-Ended Combat Arms™ Earplugs during service in the military between 2003 and 2015, and have since suffered partial or total hearing loss or suffer from tinnitus, please fill out the above form so you can protect your rights and we can learn more about your potential case.
The Dual-Ended Combat Arms™ Earplugs, Version 2 (CAEv2) were designed for military use and used extensively by millions of servicemen and servicewomen. Unfortunately, many may have been exposed to damaging sound levels after receiving defective and dangerous earplugs while fighting in:
Due to the alleged design flaw, these soldiers could have been subjected to dangerous sound levels during training and in combat. Dangerous sound levels can have serious and permanent effects including partial or total hearing loss, or tinnitus, a ringing or buzzing in the ears. Hearing loss is one of the most common afflictions suffered by active duty and former servicemen and servicewoman. Tinnitus, which can be debilitating, is just as prevalent. According to James Henry, a research scientist with the VA Portland Healthcare System, last year there were over 1.6 million veterans seeking medical care for chronic tinnitus.
Attorney Ron Meneo manages and leads The Meneo Law Group. Your case will be personally reviewed and evaluated by him. Providing us with information about your case enables us to understand the nature of your injury and its probable cause. This allows us to make our conversation with you as productive as possible.Trust. It is extremely important when it comes to consumer products, medicine and medical procedures. You trust that manufacturers have made products that meet guidelines they claim their products meet. You trust that the medicine or medical device your doctors use when treating you will make you better, not worse. As a patient, you put your trust in the companies that design and manufacture these defective drugs and devices. If you believe you have suffered serious injuries because of a defective product, dangerous drug or defective medical device/implant, you need to consult with an experienced attorney as soon as possible.
Whether you live in Madison County, Illinois, the St. Louis area or anywhere in the U.S., we can help. In fact, we have a national reputation for excellence, experienced attorneys and personal service, all on a contingent fee basis, which means that we only collect fees if we recover damages for you.
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