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3M Earplug Lawsuit Payout
What You Need to Know

Juries have awarded nearly $300 million to U.S. service members and veterans who claimed in bellwether trials that they suffered hearing loss caused by allegedly defective 3M Combat Arms Earplugs. Although no individual settlements have been reached in the 3M earplug litigation, settlement amounts in other hearing loss cases suggest an average of $50,000 to $300,000 in compensation.
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C.L. Mike Schmidt Published by C.L. Mike Schmidt

How Many Veterans Are in the Lawsuit?

Nearly 300,000 U.S. service members and veterans are suing 3M over earplugs they claim didn't work. These lawsuits have been consolidated in the Northern District of Florida before Judge M. Casey Rodgers.

The litigation is 3M Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2885 | Northern District of Florida | United States District Court.

How Many 3M Bellwether Trials Were There?

There were a total of 16 bellwether test trials in which plaintiffs ended up with a win-loss record of 10-6, with total damages of over $300 million. So the average trial resulted in an average payout of $30 million per trial.

Related Article: 3M Military Earplug Lawsuit Update

What Have We Learned From the Lawsuits That Have Gone to Trial?

Results from the 16 bellwether trials indicate that juries do not like how 3M handled the situation with its Combat Arms earplugs, and they will award a great deal of money if they believed that negligence caused plaintiffs' hearing loss or tinnitus.

What Happens After a Bellwether Trial?

If the bellwether trials fail to lead to an agreement between the parties, Judge Rodgers will remand the cases back to their local federal jurisdictions to be tried as individual cases. In other words, the class action then breaks apart, and individual cases are set up for trial in the jurisdictions they were initially filed in.

Related Article: 3M Earplug Case Settlement Info

What is the Statute of Limitations?

In most U.S. states, you have a period of 2 years to file a lawsuit over any hearing loss you suffered from 3M Combat Arms Earplugs.

What Year Were 3M Earplugs Issued?

3M dual-ended Combat Arms earplugs were the standard issue in certain branches of the U.S. military from 2003 until the company stopped producing them in 2015. Aearo Technologies Inc. created the earplugs, and 3M bought the company in 2008.

How Do I Join the Lawsuit?

For help with how to file a 3M earplug lawsuit, please fill out the form below or call (866) 588-0600 for a FREE consultation with an experienced 3M earplug lawyer. We will review your claim, help determine your eligibility, and if you decide to hire us, fight tirelessly for your right to compensation for your injuries.

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