3M Earplug Lawsuit

Around 250,000 military service members who used dual-sided 3M Combat Arms Earplugs (CAEv2) from 2003 to 2015 have been diagnosed with hearing loss or tinnitus.

What You Can Do & How We Can Help

The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting 3M earplug induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has hearing loss or tinnitus after using defective earplugs, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Product Liability Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.

UPDATE: Around 250,000 Veterans Get Payouts in $6 Billion 3M Earplug Settlement

In March 2024, 3M announced that around 250,000 veterans agreed to a $6 billion settlement for earplug hearing loss lawsuits. That represents about 99% of all the claimants who filed lawsuits against 3M.

Veterans will see payouts between now and 2029, but the exact amounts will vary depending on the severity of their hearing loss. The total payouts will not exceed $6 billion.

For more information, 3M created a fact sheet website at: https://www.3mearplugsfacts.com/.
There is also a website for the Official Combat Arms Earplugs (CAE) Settlement Program: https://www.combatarmssettlement.com/.

3M Agrees to $6 Billion Settlement in Earplug Lawsuits

In August 2023, 3M announced that it reached a $6 billion settlement that will end approximately 250,000 claims involving hearing loss from military earplugs.

All of the lawsuits involved veterans and military service-members who were issued Combat Arms Earplugs version 2 (CAEv2) between 2003 and 2015, including many veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The earplugs were created by Aearo Technologies, a military contractor that was purchased by 3M in 2008. 3M insists that the earplugs are “safe and effective if used properly” and says the settlement is not an admission of liability.

Previous Jury Verdicts Against 3M

Nearly 300,000 People Join Military Earplug MDL

As of January 2022, nearly 300,000 registered military servicemen and women nationwide have claimed they suffered hearing loss due to 3M’s dual-ended Combat Arms military-issue earplugs.

The most common claimants are Army veterans between the ages of 30 and 49 with tinnitus and hearing loss who served in Iraq and/or Afghanistan.

Instead of a class action, these cases are centralized in MDL No. 2885 – 3M Combat Arms Earplugs Products Liability Litigation in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida.

What is the Problem?

Lawsuits claim that Combat Arms Earplugs (CAEv2) manufactured by 3M are defective because they can slowly loosen while being worn, exposing users to dangerous sounds that cause hearing damage.

3M Pays $9 Million Settlement for Soldiers’ Defective Earplugs

In July 2018, 3M paid a $9.1 million settlement to end a whistleblower lawsuit from the U.S. Defense Department. The payout resolved allegations that the company sold defective dual-ended Combat Arms Earplugs, Version 2 (CAEv2) to the military for more than a decade.

Defective 3M Combat Arms Earplugs Lawsuit

The U.S. claimed that 3M knew the CAEv2 earplug stem was too short, which made the earplugs difficult to insert deeply enough to achieve a proper fit for some wearers. 3M and Aearo were allegedly aware of the defects as early as 2000, but did not tell the military.

What is the Risk?

If the earplugs do not make a tight seal, dangerous sounds can enter the ear canal and cause severe side effects, such as:

Hearing loss
Tinnitus
Ringing in the ears
Deafness

What are CAEv2 Ear Plugs?

3M earplugs were issued to millions of service members in foreign conflicts between 2002 and 2016. Unfortunately, people who used these earplugs may have been exposed to dangerous sounds.

How Do They Work?

The 2-sided earplugs should have performed two functions. The olive-green side worked like traditional earplugs, while the yellow side allowed quieter sounds (like spoken words) while blocking loud impulse sounds, such as from explosions and gunfire.

Who Used CAEv2 Earplugs?

Military conflicts where CAEv2 earplugs were standard issue include:

War in Afghanistan
The Iraq War
War in North-West Pakistan (War on Terror)
War in Somalia
Operation Ocean Shield in the Indian Ocean
American-led intervention in Libya (Libyan Crisis)
American-led intervention in Syria
Yemeni Civil War

Was Your Hearing Damaged by Defective Military Earplugs?

Hearing loss is one of the most common long-term health problems facing military members. The consequences can be devastating — hearing loss can exacerbate depression, make it difficult to work, go to school, or find employment, and significantly decrease quality of life.

3M Earplug Class Action Lawsuit

Lawyers are working with service members to recover compensation for pain and suffering, medical bills, and disability as a result of hearing loss from wearing these allegedly defective military earplugs.

Do I have a 3M Earplug Lawsuit?

The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting 3M earplug induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has hearing loss or tinnitus from using defective earplugs, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Product Liability Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.

Attention Lawyers: We consider a referral from another law firm to be one of the greatest compliments. If your firm is interested in referring us a case or for us to send you a list of previous award judgments and/or average referral fees, please visit the Lawyer Referral section of our website.