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The earplug lawsuit military case is one of the largest mass torts in U.S. history. 3M Company agreed to a $6 billion settlement for nearly 250,000 veterans and service members who claim defective Combat Arms earplugs caused hearing damage during their service.
Key Facts About the Military Earplug Lawsuit:
Between 2003 and 2015, the U.S. military issued 3M's dual-ended Combat Arms earplugs to service members in Iraq and Afghanistan. The earplugs were meant to block loud combat noises while allowing soldiers to hear commands. However, thousands of veterans allege the earplugs were defectively designed and failed to provide adequate protection.
The alleged defect is that the earplugs were too short to create a proper seal. This flaw reportedly caused them to loosen, exposing service members to damaging noise levels that led to hearing loss and tinnitus.
As former Staff Sergeant Ryan Kelly described his tinnitus: "Every day I have to live with a high-pitched frequency in my ear that's deafening. I'm never at peace."
The legal battle began in 2016 with a whistleblower lawsuit. In 2018, 3M paid $9.1 million to settle allegations it knowingly sold defective earplugs to the military. This settlement paved the way for individual lawsuits from affected veterans.
I'm Tim Burd, founder of Justice Hero. We connect veterans affected by defective products with qualified legal representation in earplug lawsuit military cases. We've seen how corporate negligence can devastate the lives of those who served our country.
At the heart of the earplug lawsuit military is the product meant to protect service members: the Combat Arms Earplugs, Version 2 (CAEv2).
Originally developed by Aearo Technologies in 1998 and later acquired by 3M in 2008, the CAEv2 earplugs featured an innovative dual-ended design.
The concept, known as selective attenuation, offered two options. The green end blocked all sound for maximum protection. The yellow end was intended to block sudden loud noises like gunfire while allowing soldiers to hear commands.
From 2003 to 2015, these earplugs were standard issue equipment for many U.S. military personnel, particularly during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Thousands of service members trusted them in extremely noisy combat environments.
The core allegation is that the earplugs were too short. Lawsuits claim the stem of the CAEv2 wasn't long enough to create a proper seal in the ear canal. This improper fit caused the earplugs to gradually loosen, often unnoticed by the wearer.
The loosening seal exposed service members to damaging noise levels, rendering the noise protection ineffective.
Disturbingly, lawsuits allege 3M knew of these design flaws as early as 2000 but chose to hide this information from the military. Allegations also claim 3M manipulated test results to overstate the earplugs' effectiveness. Some reports suggest the yellow end could even amplify sounds instead of reducing them.
This failure to disclose critical safety issues is the foundation of the legal claims against 3M. Veterans allege the company knew the product might not work as promised, betraying the trust placed in them.
The earplug lawsuit military settlement addresses the devastating, life-altering injuries that continue to affect veterans. When hearing protection fails in a combat zone—amid explosions, gunfire, and heavy machinery—the damage can be immediate and permanent.
Veterans affected by the allegedly defective earplugs face a range of extensive health issues:
The VA reports that hearing loss and tinnitus are the most common service-connected disabilities. As of 2014, over 933,000 veterans received disability compensation for hearing loss, and 1.3 million for tinnitus. These numbers represent millions of lives changed by hearing damage. For more information on how these injuries relate to the legal case, explore more info about the 3M Lawsuit.
Tinnitus is one of the most debilitating injuries cited in the lawsuit. It's a constant ringing, buzzing, roaring, clicking, or hissing sound that never stops, even in complete silence.
Former Staff Sergeant Ryan Kelly described it bluntly: "Every day I have to live with a high-pitched frequency in my ear that's deafening. I'm never at peace."
Crucially, there's currently no cure for tinnitus. While treatments can help manage symptoms, the condition is permanent, as confirmed by medical information on tinnitus from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.
Tinnitus is the most common service-connected disability among veterans and is directly linked to the earplug lawsuit military claims. The failure of 3M's earplugs to protect against extreme combat noise often resulted in noise-induced hearing damage, with tinnitus being a frequent outcome. It is a constant, invisible injury reminding veterans of the protection that allegedly failed them.
The road to holding 3M accountable in the earplug lawsuit military was a years-long legal battle involving determined advocacy for veterans.
The first legal action came from a competitor, Moldex-Metric, Inc., which filed a whistleblower lawsuit in 2016 under the False Claims Act. Moldex-Metric alleged 3M knowingly sold defective earplugs to the U.S. military while hiding design flaws.
This led to a 2018 announcement from the U.S. Department of Justice: 3M agreed to pay $9.1 million to resolve the allegations. Details are available in the DOJ press release on the $9.1 million settlement. While 3M admitted no liability, the settlement brought the issue to light and opened the door for individual veteran lawsuits.
As veteran lawsuits mounted, a Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) was created in April 2019 in the Northern District of Florida to consolidate the cases. This streamlined pre-trial proceedings for thousands of similar claims.
Bellwether trials, or test cases, were held to gauge jury reactions. The results were telling: plaintiffs won ten of the sixteen trials, with damage awards ranging from $1.7 million to $77.5 million. One veteran, James Beal, was awarded $77.5 million for his hearing loss and tinnitus. These substantial verdicts put immense financial pressure on 3M to negotiate a global settlement.
Throughout the litigation, 3M consistently denied liability, insisting its earplugs were safe when used properly. In a controversial move in 2022, 3M's subsidiary, Aearo Technologies, attempted to file for bankruptcy to limit 3M's financial exposure.
However, the court rejected this strategy. In June 2023, Judge M. Casey Rodgers blocked the bankruptcy filing, and she had previously issued sanctions against 3M for "bad faith" conduct related to the attempt. This prevented 3M from shifting blame and ensured the company remained fully accountable.
With its bankruptcy strategy thwarted, 3M returned to the negotiating table, leading to the historic $6 billion settlement.
After years of legal battles, 3M agreed to a substantial settlement, marking a significant milestone for the thousands of veterans who sought justice.
In August 2023, 3M announced a $6 billion settlement package for veterans affected by its Combat Arms earplugs, the largest earplug lawsuit military settlement in history. While originally planned as $5 billion in cash and $1 billion in stock, 3M later committed to paying the full amount in cash.
Payments are being distributed over several years, from 2023 through 2029. The first wave of payments, approximately $250 million, was transferred to the Qualified Settlement Fund on December 26, 2023. A second wave of $253 million followed on January 31, 2024. By July 2024, total funding had reached $1.6 billion, with $1,381,237,619 having been received by victims.
For detailed information about how these payments work, visit More on the 3M Earplug Lawsuit Payout Information.
The settlement moved forward after achieving over 99% participation from eligible claimants, surpassing the 98% threshold set by 3M. Over 249,000 claimants registered for the settlement.
A Qualified Settlement Fund is managing the verification and distribution of payments. Courts have also dismissed over 41,000 ineligible claims, streamlining the process.
Key dates for claimants:
Veterans should be cautious of scammers. Never provide your full Social Security number or other sensitive information to anyone contacting you unexpectedly about the settlement. For reliable updates, always refer to the Official settlement program website.
The settlement program has also reached agreements regarding claimants who used TRICARE for hearing-related medical treatments. This settlement represents an acknowledgment that veterans deserved better protection and, when it failed, they deserved justice.
Here are answers to common questions about the earplug lawsuit military settlement.
Yes, you can participate in the settlement even if you receive VA disability benefits. The two are separate. VA benefits compensate you for a service-connected disability. The 3M settlement compensates you because a manufacturer allegedly provided defective equipment that caused your injury. Receiving one does not disqualify you from the other.
Individual payouts vary and are determined by a tiered system based on several factors:
Settlement administrators use this information to place claims in the appropriate compensation tier.
If you served between 2003 and 2015, used Combat Arms earplugs, and now have hearing loss or tinnitus, take these steps:
At Justice Hero, we help veterans understand their rights and connect with qualified legal help. If you believe you were affected, Contact us for more information to take the next step.
The earplug lawsuit military case is the largest mass tort in U.S. history and a powerful victory for America's veterans. The historic $6 billion agreement provides justice for nearly 250,000 service members who suffered from invisible wounds like tinnitus and hearing loss after trusting the equipment meant to protect them.
This settlement sends a clear message: holding corporations accountable is critical, especially when they profit from military contracts. The case also highlighted the power of veteran advocacy and collective action. The persistence of these veterans secured compensation and brought national attention to the issue of hearing damage in the military.
At Justice Hero, we are proud to help connect affected veterans with the legal resources needed to pursue their claims. We are committed to making complex legal information accessible because we believe justice shouldn't be intimidating.
As payments continue through 2029, this case reminds us that meaningful change is possible. If you are a veteran who may have been affected by these defective earplugs, we encourage you to Find out more about the 3M Lawsuit through our resources. Your service deserves our commitment to your wellbeing and your right to justice.
