Faulty product design inhibited proper insertion into the users’ ears, and the earplugs could not maintain a tight seal exposing the soldiers to dangerously loud sounds.
Hearing loss and tinnitus are two of the primary symptoms associated with the use of 3M Dual-Ended Combat Arms Earplugs Version 2 (CAEv2) by veterans who served in the military sometime between 2003 and 2015.
3M Company Agrees to Pay $9.1 Million to Resolve Allegations That it Supplied the United States With Defective Dual-Ended Combat Arms Earplugs
The Department of Justice announced today that 3M Company (3M), headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota, has agreed to pay $9.1 million to resolve allegations that it knowingly sold the dual-ended Combat Arms Earplugs, Version 2 (CAEv2) to the United States military without disclosing defects that hampered the effectiveness of the hearing protection device.
“The Department of Justice is committed to protecting the men and women serving in the United States military from defective products and fraudulent conduct,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Chad A. Readler of the Department’s Civil Division. “Government contractors who seek to profit at the expense of our military will face appropriate consequences.”
July 26th, 2018 - Go to justice.gov for more information.
You may qualify for a lawsuit if you have developed hearing loss or tinnitus after using these defective earplugs.
Dual-Ended Combat Arms™ Earplugs
- Original patented dual-protection design
- Designed to allow wearer to hear low-level sounds when the yellow side of the earplug is inserted
- high-impulse noise attenuated quickly
- Premolded triple-flange-design fits most ear canals
- Comfortable and reusable
- no batteries required
