If you or someone you love suffered partial or total hearing loss after using earplugs manufactured by 3M and Aearo Technologies in the Military, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit and receive financial compensation for your injuries, medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Hearing loss and tinnitus are already some of the most common disabilities for returning veterans … but these losses may have been exponentially exacerbated by using these defective earplugs.
For a free case evaluation, contact Ken Nunn, The Indiana Injury Lawyer. As an experienced product injury lawyer, Ken has devoted his law firm to helping injured people get what they deserve. Call now at 1-800-CALL-KEN. Don’t wait. 3M Earplug lawsuits must be filed within a certain timeframe.
What are Combat Earplugs?
Combat Earplugs are different from regular earplugs in that they are designed to reduce the decibel levels from common combat noises and situations. Gunfire, explosions, and heavy machinery operate on certain frequencies and are so loud that they can cause significant and permeant hearing problems even after just short exposures to them.
Research from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) has shown that being around sounds at 85 decibels or higher, have a greater chance of causing hearing loss. Gunfire is rated at 150 decibels.
Combat earplugs should be specifically designed to block out the harmful nature of these sounds and reduce the service member’s risk for any associated hearing loss.
Dangerous Design
Even though the technology behind the 3M earplugs might be good, the manufacturer overlooked problems with the earplug’s fit into the ear. The combat earplugs manufactured by 3M are not long enough to be inserted properly into the ear canal, nor can they stay put so that they can be effective. There are also cases where the earplugs were too small to fit in a service member’s ears and did not work properly because of this.
Unfortunately, it has been proven that even if the 3M combat earplugs were a good size for your ear, even after a short time of wearing them, the earplugs still become loose and begin letting in harmful and dangerous levels of noise. The earplugs in many cases, could not maintain a decent seal and thus allowed dangerous levels of noise through.
Getting Answers
Veterans are filing lawsuits now alongside the US government and a 3M competitor according to a report on the subject by CBS. The lawsuit itself alleges that 3M had known about the defect in their earplugs before they began selling them to the US Military in 2003. The defective earplugs were used from 2003 – 2015. If you were in the military during this time and exposed to dangerous levels of noise while using these earplugs, call Ken today to discuss your case!
Have You Suffered Partial or Total Hearing Loss or Tinnitus During Military Service?
Ken Nunn is The Indiana Injury Lawyer and he can help if you or a loved one was hurt because of defective combat earplugs. If you lost part or all of your hearing during your military service, call Ken Nunn at 1-800-CALL-KEN to schedule your no risk, free case evaluation. Call now or use our online form. Don’t wait. Contact us now. Your claim is time sensitive.
