The lawsuit falls under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act. Moldex-Metric Inc., rival manufacturer of hearing protection products, filed a lawsuit in 2016 against a company known as 3M, the manufacturer of dual-ended Combat Arms earplugs. If settlements are not reached, then each case will have to be remanded back to their respective District Courts for separate trials.
Dual ended combat arms earplugs trial#
During pretrial proceedings, it is expected that Judge Rodgers will rule on any motions that could impact all claims and will schedule early trial dates for representative claims, which will present facts that will be similar to those involved in many or all other claims. In July of 2018, 3M resolved claims that it defrauded the government with a $9.1 million settlement. Combat Arms earplugs were issued to nearly every service member for over a decade. Rather than issuing a recall or adding any type of warning or instructions to the product’s packaging, the company knowingly continued to sell the defective products to the U.S. The plaintiffs, through their attorneys, allege that 3M knew the earplugs were defective before they sold them to the military. One side was supposed to block all sound while the other side was meant to block only the loudest sounds, while still allowing for the wearer to hear important commands. This failure allegedly caused both permanent hearing loss and tinnitus. This report should include proposals for all dispositive motions as well as the details of case-specific discovery.Įach plaintiff in the lawsuits against 3M brings similar allegations based upon design defects that left military members without the required level of hearing protection. All of the parties must file a status report by October 31, 2019.
Dual ended combat arms earplugs free#
Parties were then free to begin general discovery into the common issues that apply to all of the 3M claims.Īll of the earplug lawsuit defendants were ordered to finish up the early stages of document exchange by Jand they will be required to finish complete document production by September 30, 2019. On June 20, 2019, the board and Judge Rogers adopted a discovery plan for the first phase of the litigation. These proceedings included appointing a board of attorneys, who will serve to establish rules for the exchange of information within and about the earplug cases. Attorneys continue to file complaints on the behalf of active and veteran military men and women who have been left with hearing loss and tinnitus after they received Combat Arms earplugs between the years of 20.Ī stay on discovery was placed in April, while pretrial proceedings were organized. The Number of 3M Combat Arms Earplugs Lawsuits Continues to GrowĪ seemingly endless stream of lawsuits continue to be filed over hearing loss and tinnitus claims allegedly caused by 3M Combat Arms earplugs, which were standard issue in the military for many years.Īt this time, nearly 1,000 Combat Arms earplug lawsuits have been filed in the federal court system against 3M.
Evidence has come to light that indicates that the earplugs were defectively designed, exposing thousands of brave men and women to dangerously loud noises.Ĭlick Here To Read Trial Dates In 3M Earplug MDL This design was meant to provide soldiers with protection from the sounds of explosions and gunfire, while allowing them to hear verbal commands or approaching enemies. One side was designed to block out all noise, while the other side was intended to block out only noise at a certain volume. If you have experienced any hearing-related issues after using 3M earplugs while serving in the military, you may qualify for compensation for your injuries.ģM Combat Arms Earplugs are two-sided earplugs that were standard-issue in some military branches from 2003 to 2015. Recent information has come forward indicating 3M knew their earplugs were defective and could cause serious hearing loss, among other problems. Thousands of military members who served during or after 2003 used 3M Combat Arms Earplugs during training or in combat. 3M Combat Arms Earplug Lawsuits: What You Need to Know!
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