Without a tight seal, dangerous sounds could bypass the plug and cause permanent hearing damage to the wearer.ĭespite allegedly being aware of this dangerous defect as early as 2000, 3M and Aearo sold millions of these dual- ended earplugs to the military, certifying that they would protect service members and failing to warn of the defect or its risks. If inserted according to the standard instructions, one of the ribbed portions (known as a flange) on the non-inserted end of the plug could press against the ear, causing the seal of the earplug to loosen. The plug could not be inserted deeply enough inside the ear canals of many wearers. The suit claims that the stem of the earplug was too short to ensure a secure fit. How Was the Dual-Ended Combat Arms Earplug Defective?Īccording to the DOJ lawsuit, the manufacturers’ own internal testing revealed that the earplugs could loosen in the ear canal without the wearer realizing it, exposing the eardrum to potentially deafening noises. Unfortunately, for many users, these dual-ended Combat Arms earplugs did not provide the protection the manufacturers promised. The distinctive yellow-and-olive “dual end” design of the Combat Arms earplug was supposed to provide soldiers with two different options for hearing protection: a regular earplug on one side that blocked all noise (the olive side), and a different earplug on the yellow side that was marketed as being able to filter out loud, damaging noises– like gunshots and explosions– while still allowing the wearer to hear quieter noises, like the voices of fellow service members or the sound of approaching enemy combatants. Did not have documented hearing loss or tinnitus at time of military enrollment.Ībout the Dual-Ended Combat Arms Earplugs.Served in the military between 2003-2015 and were issued and used 3M dual-ended Combat Arms earplugs.We are accepting cases of active military service members and veterans who: If you were issued and used dual-ended Combat Arms earplugs during your military service and now suffer from hearing problems, you may have a claim against 3M. However, 3M has not yet compensated the service members who were harmed by this dangerously defective product. In the summer of 2018, 3M agreed to pay a $9.1 million settlement to resolve these allegations without an admission of liability. The suit alleges that 3M committed fraud against the United States Military and put hundreds of thousands of service members at risk of serious hearing damage. Military, Putting Service Members at Risk of Serious Hearing DamageĪ recent Department of Justice (DOJ) lawsuit accused 3M, and the predecessor manufacturer Aearo Technologies Inc., of selling millions of defective dual-ended Combat Arms Earplugs, Version 2 (CAEv2) to the military for over a decade, without disclosing a known design flaw. Fraud Suit Alleges 3M Sold Millions of Defective Dual-Ended Earplugs to U.S.
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