Albany Defective Product Attorney Representing Victims of Hearing Loss
Every day, military members risk their lives to defend our country’s freedom. Contractors who develop tools and gear for the military should ensure the same level of protection for these dedicated men and women. Yet, this doesn’t always happen. Such was the case with the allegedly defective earplugs sold to the government by 3M. According to many allegations, use of the 3M earplugs has led to hearing loss and/or tinnitus among military members who served in Iraq and Afghanistan between 2003 and 2015. If you are a war vet who is now suffering, do not wait to contact us for help.
At the Law Offices of William F. Underwood, III, P.C., you are our top priority, and our lawyers for defective products will work toward getting a favorable outcome for your personal injury case. Call us at (229) 999-4476 for a free consultation.
3M’s Defective Earplug Case Settled for $9.1 Million
A 2016 lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act alleged that 3M and its predecessor, Aearo Technologies, Inc., were aware that the earplugs they sold to the Defense Logistics Agency had a design defect and failed to disclose this information to the agency.
3M paid the government $9.1 million in July 2018 to settle the allegations, but it did not admit liability for the defect. The Department of Justice stated in a press release that the lawsuit and settlement demonstrate that companies will not be able to get away with endangering the health of our troops.
The earplugs in question were the Combat Arms Earplugs, version 2 (CAEv2), which were manufactured by Aearo in 2000 – 3M acquired the hearing and eye protection company in 2008. The CAEv2 were dual-ended cone-shaped plugs with a green end and a yellow end. When the green end was inserted into the ear, the earplug was supposed to block all noise; the yellow end was supposed to reduce harsh combat sounds while allowing soldiers to hear lower-level sounds, such as voices.
Unfortunately, the stem was too short to fit in the ear well, causing the CAEv2 to loosen. Soldiers were unable to tell that the plugs became loose, and were exposed to harmful loud noises, causing hearing loss and tinnitus.
Failure to disclose the defect to the government can be considered negligent behavior on 3M’s part. Providing a faulty product to the military put the health of dedicated military members at risk. Individual service members who developed hearing loss or tinnitus may be able to file individual lawsuits against the company and recover compensation for pain and suffering, medical bills, and lost wages.
Contact the Law Offices of William F. Underwood, III, P.C., for Help
If you are a military member who was injured by the defective earplugs, contact the Law Offices of William F. Underwood, III, P.C., to discuss your legal options. Our experienced Albany, GA defective product attorney is dedicated to protecting your rights and holding the company financially responsible for their negligence. With our track record of success behind us, you can be confident that our lawyers for defective products will fight hard to get the compensation you deserve.
Call the Law Offices of William F. Underwood, III, P.C., at (229) 999-4476 or contact us online if you suffered hearing loss or tinnitus because of a company’s negligence.
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