3M Earplugs VD

Background Information:

From US Federal Court Case 3:16-1533-MBS:

This is an action by qui tam Plaintiff/Relator Moldex-Metric, Inc. (“Moldex”), in the name of the United States Government, to recover penalties and damages arising from false statements made by Defendant 3M Company (“3M” or the “Company”) to the Government regarding its dangerously defective dual-ended Combat Arms™ earplugs, which 3M sold to the U.S. military for more than a decade without its knowledge of the defect.

Plaintiff/Relator’s claims reveal the protracted fraud perpetrated on the military by 3M, whose dual-ended Combat Arms™ earplugs—which were standard issue in certain branches of the military during foreign conflicts between 2003 and 2015—have likely caused thousands of soldiers to suffer significant hearing loss and tinnitus in addition to exposing millions to the risk caused by 3M’s defective earplugs.1 The indirect cost to the public of 3M’s fraud has been enormous.  In addition to funding the military’s repeated purchases of the defective earplugs from 3M for more than a decade, taxpayers must shoulder the massive expense of treating veterans with hearing damage and impairment, which represents the largest ongoing medical cost to the military.

These earplugs were originally created by a company called Aearo Technologies (“Aearo”).  3M acquired Aearo in 2008 (and thus any liability associated with its past conduct) and hired the employees at Aearo that developed and tested the defective earplugs.  These 3M employees were aware of the defects as early as 2000, several years before 3M/Aearo became the exclusive provider of the earplugs to the military.

JLG + Tracey Fox and Ben Martin Law Group (Only signing for Ben Martin at this time)

Defective 3M "Combat Arms" Earplugs Hearing Damage Cases

We are looking for US military servicemen and women who have been diagnosed with Tinnitus, Hearing Loss or Hearing Damage as a likely result of using defective earplugs during military service.

Criteria:

  • 0. Does not have a lawyer representing them in a hearing damage case.
  • 1. PC served in any division of the US Military between 2003 and 2015. We can also accept non-military ( regular civilians) that used 3M and have hearing loss and/or tinnitus. 
  • 2. PC is medically diagnosed with Tinnitus (persistent ringing in the ears), or Hearing loss/damage.
  • 3. PC was provided and utilized the standard-issue, Dual-Ended "Combat Arms" Earplugs (manufactured by 3M).
  • 4. We can only accept a private DX or hearing loss/tinnitus testing done at a private facility within a 6 month period AFTER they have been discharged.