3M Earplugs Lawsuit: Manufacturer To Pay $6 Billion Settlement to US Service Members

3M, a leading manufacturer of chemicals and consumer products, announced on Tuesday that it has reached a settlement of $6 billion to address the 3M earplugs lawsuit brought forth by US service members who claim to have suffered hearing loss and other serious injuries due to the use of faulty earplugs bought from the company.

The settlement, comprising $5 billion in cash and $1 billion in 3M stock, will be distributed throughout payments continuing through 2029, AP reports.

The legal actions originated from many veterans and current service members who filed lawsuits against 3M and Aearo Technologies.

The plaintiffs contended that a flawed design in these earplugs, which were designed to protect ears from loud noises, including close-range firearms, caused them to loosen slightly, resulting in hearing damage.

This assertion has been presented by Aylstock, Witkin, Kreis, & Overholtz PLLC, one of the law firms representing the plaintiffs.

The law firm's online overview of the litigation highlights that 3M had previously agreed to pay $9.1 million to resolve a lawsuit alleging the company knowingly provided defective earplugs to the US military.

3M Earplugs Lawsuit

The earplugs in question, known as Combat Arms earplugs, were manufactured by Aearo Technologies, a company that 3M acquired in 2008, per Reuters.

These earplugs were utilized by the US military for training and combat purposes from 2003 to 2015, including deployments in regions such as Afghanistan and Iraq.

The lawsuits brought by plaintiffs allege that Aearo Technologies concealed design flaws, manipulated test results, and omitted proper usage instructions for the earplugs, ultimately resulting in hearing damage for the users.

These lawsuits were consolidated and brought before US District Judge M. Casey Rodgers in Pensacola, Florida, federal court in 2019.

The litigation, at its peak, accounted for approximately 30% of all federal court cases nationwide.

Of the 16 earplug cases that have undergone trial, 3M experienced losses in 10. The combined total of approximately $265 million has been awarded to 13 plaintiffs, contributing to the overall settlement of $6.01 billion.

Aearo Technologies filed for bankruptcy in July 2022, with 3M committing $1 billion to address its liabilities from the earplug lawsuits.

3M contended that the mass tort litigation was unjust, asserting that Judge Rodgers had excluded scientific evidence favorable to the company from the trials and permitted numerous "unvetted" claims to inundate the court's docket.

However, a bankruptcy judge in June dismissed Aearo's bankruptcy filing, determining that the company's financial situation did not warrant such an action.

3M Earplugs Lawsuit Settlement Marks the Company's Second in Summer

The recent settlement in the 3M earplugs lawsuit is not the only legal resolution the company has reached this summer.

3M announced a substantial settlement in June wherein it would allocate up to $10.3 billion over 13 years to support public water suppliers in the United States that had identified the presence of toxic "forever chemicals," specifically polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), in their water sources, according to CNN.

PFAS, commonly called "forever chemicals," have been detected in numerous everyday items, including cosmetics and carpets.

These substances create coatings that resist water, grease, and oil.

The settlement arose following a barrage of lawsuits directed at 3M, asserting that the company knew PFAS could lead to cancer, developmental anomalies, and other health issues.

Allegations further claimed that the chemicals contaminated the drinking water systems across the United States.

In response to these concerns, 3M committed last year to discontinue the production of these contentious chemicals by the conclusion of 2025.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

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