3M Combat Arms Earplugs, also called CAEv2, are the subject of a federal lawsuit by service members and veterans who allege hearing loss and tinnitus. The dual-ended earplugs were made by Aearo Technologies and 3M.
On August 29, 2023, 3M agreed to pay $6 billion, without admitting liability, to resolve nearly 250,000 lawsuits in MDL No. 2885.
Judge M. Casey Rodgers later recommended closing the MDL, Bloomberg Law reported on September 19, 2025. Registration for the settlement has closed, and payments to eligible claimants run through 2029.
- Case or litigation name: In re 3M Combat Arms Earplug Products Liability Litigation
- Defendants: 3M Company and Aearo Technologies
- Court and docket number, when available: U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida, Master Docket No. 3:19-md-02885
- MDL number, judge, and case count, when an MDL exists: MDL No. 2885, Northern District of Florida, Judge M. Casey Rodgers; nearly 250,000 lawsuits at the August 29, 2023 settlement
- Filing date: April 3, 2019 (Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation transfer order creating MDL No. 2885)
- Main allegations: Allegations that the dual-ended Combat Arms earplugs were defective and caused hearing loss and/or tinnitus; 3M denies liability
- Products or people involved: 3M Combat Arms Earplugs Version 2 (CAEv2); U.S. military service members, veterans and commercial users
Table Of Contents
- Latest 3M Hearing Protection Lawsuit Updates
- September 19, 2025: Judge Recommends Closing the MDL
- March 21, 2024: Court Enters Payment Process Order
- January 29, 2024: 3M Reports Settlement Participation
- January 15, 2024: 3M Accelerates $253 Million Payment
- January 9, 2024: Court Issues First-In, First-Out Order
- December 26, 2023: First Settlement Payment Is Made
- October 18, 2023: Court Sets the Fairness Hearing
- October 14, 2023: Court Warns of Settlement Scam Calls
- August 29, 2023: 3M Settles Nearly 250,000 Lawsuits
- May 20, 2022: Jury Awards $77.5 Million in Final Bellwether Trial
- April 3, 2019: Panel Centralizes the Earplug Cases
- What Is Noise-Induced Hearing Loss?
- Who May Be Affected?
- Reported Injuries or Damages
- Recall and Regulatory Background
- Evidence to Preserve
- Filing Deadlines
- Potential Compensation
- Frequently Asked Questions
- References
Latest 3M Hearing Protection Lawsuit Updates
September 19, 2025: Judge Recommends Closing the MDL
On September 19, 2025, the Northern District of Florida judge overseeing MDL No. 2885 recommended closing it, according to Bloomberg Law [1].
She made her recommendation to the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation. Bloomberg Law reported that the MDL involved more than 390,000 cases in total and that none remained.
March 21, 2024: Court Enters Payment Process Order
On March 21, 2024, the court of Judge M. Casey Rodgers entered Case Management Order No. 86, the Notice of Award Determination and Payment Process.
The order responded to outreach from claimants about when and how their claims will be processed in the Settlement Program. It explains how and when those claims are handled.
January 29, 2024: 3M Reports Settlement Participation
On January 29, 2024, 3M announced that participation in the settlement was on track to exceed the 98% threshold [2].
3M also said it elected to pay $1 billion in cash instead of stock. More than 250,000 eligible claimants had elected to participate, according to the same filing.
January 15, 2024: 3M Accelerates $253 Million Payment
On January 15, 2024, 3M said it was moving up a $253 million payment to wave-case plaintiffs covering more than 30,000 service members and veterans. CBS News reported it would come by the end of January [3].
January 9, 2024: Court Issues First-In, First-Out Order
On January 9, 2024, the court issued an order on the first-in, first-out (FIFO) procedure under which eligible claimants are paid their settlement awards.
The settlement agreement, known as MSA I, contemplates that eligible claimants will be paid their settlement awards in that order.
December 26, 2023: First Settlement Payment Is Made
Scripps News reported that 3M made a $250 million payment to the qualified settlement fund on December 26, 2023 [4].
The payment was expected to result in 25,000 to 30,000 claimants dismissing their related litigation. It was the first payment under the $6 billion settlement.
October 18, 2023: Court Sets the Fairness Hearing
On October 18, 2023, the court set the Fairness Hearing on the settlement for December 11, 2023, in Pensacola, Florida.
The hearing was to be held at 9:00 a.m. Central time in the Fifth Floor Courtroom of the United States District Courthouse in Pensacola.
October 14, 2023: Court Warns of Settlement Scam Calls
On October 14, 2023, the court warned claimants about scam calls. Callers posing as the Settlement Administrator, ARCHER Systems, LLC, asked for Social Security numbers and dates of birth.
The court called these calls a scam and said the Federal Bureau of Investigation had been notified of the reports.
August 29, 2023: 3M Settles Nearly 250,000 Lawsuits
On August 29, 2023, 3M settled nearly 250,000 lawsuits for $6 billion, and the court issued Case Management Order No. 58 [5].
The agreement was made without any admission of liability. The court also entered Case Management Orders 57 through 61 on the same day.
May 20, 2022: Jury Awards $77.5 Million in Final Bellwether Trial
On May 20, 2022, a federal jury awarded Army veteran James Beal $77.5 million, the Star Tribune reported [6]. The award was $5 million compensatory and $72.5 million punitive.
It was the final scheduled bellwether trial. Damages from all 16 bellwether cases, 10 of which went in favor of plaintiffs, total nearly $300 million.
April 3, 2019: Panel Centralizes the Earplug Cases
On April 3, 2019, the Panel centralized the Combat Arms earplug cases as MDL No. 2885 before Judge M. Casey Rodgers.
The Panel found common questions concerning the design, testing, sale, and marketing of the earplugs. The cases were transferred to the Northern District of Florida.
What Is Noise-Induced Hearing Loss?
According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) can be caused by loud sounds, even brief ones, or by sounds that are both loud and long-lasting [7].
These sounds can damage sensitive structures in the inner ear. NIHL can be immediate or take a long time to be noticeable, and it can be temporary or permanent. The Combat Arms claims involve hearing loss after earplug use.
Who May Be Affected?
U.S. service members, veterans and commercial users who wore the dual-ended Combat Arms Earplugs Version 2 and later had hearing loss or a ringing in the ears may be affected.
The earplugs were made from 1999 to 2015, according to settlement administrator BrownGreer [8]. The Star Tribune reported they were standard issue for the military for more than a decade.
NIDCD says tinnitus is the most common service-related disability among veterans because of loud noise from gunfire, machinery, bomb blasts or similar sources [9].
Whether any one person qualifies depends on an individual legal review. For related background, see our 3M earplug hearing loss lawsuit page.
Reported Injuries or Damages
Plaintiffs in the Northern District of Florida allege the dual-ended Combat Arms earplugs were defective and caused hearing loss and/or tinnitus. These are allegations, and 3M denies liability.
NIDCD describes tinnitus as commonly a ringing sound. When tinnitus lasts three months or longer, it is considered chronic. NIDCD adds that there is currently no cure for tinnitus.
Recall and Regulatory Background
On April 25, 2024, the CPSC announced a recall of about 40,000 Peltor X4 series earmuffs [10]. Cracks can form in the plastic cups, risking overexposure to loud noise.
No incidents or injuries were reported. Health Canada posted a matching notice [11]. Neither recall involves the Combat Arms Earplugs, and a recall does not establish liability.
On July 29, 2026, the UK Office for Product Safety and Standards published a recall of Peltor Comtac VIII headsets over feedback noise that risks hearing loss [12].
Evidence to Preserve
Keep these records, because they may help show earplug use and hearing loss or tinnitus:
- Military service records, such as your DD214 discharge record
- Records of earplugs you were issued or bought, such as packaging, unit records and receipts
- Medical, hearing-test and audiology records
- Tinnitus diagnoses and VA disability or treatment records
- Letters or emails with the settlement administrator or a law firm
- Notes on the dates and places where you used the earplugs
CMO 58 required a DD214 and census forms for settlement claims, so records like these matter. Keep copies in a safe place and note where the originals are stored.
Filing Deadlines
Filing deadlines come from state law. They vary with where a person lives and when the injury and the diagnosis happened. Missing a deadline can end a claim, whatever the strength of the facts.
A person who thinks they may have a claim should speak with a lawyer promptly, because the deadline that applies depends on their own facts.
Potential Compensation
In a hearing loss or tinnitus claim, damages can include medical and hearing-related care and lost income or earning capacity. They can also include pain and reduced quality of life. What applies depends on the facts and the law.
According to 3M, the $6 billion settlement total is paid over 2023 to 2029, and what any one person receives has not been made public.
Compensation amounts vary by case. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Each person’s records and diagnosis shape any potential compensation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Can I Get a 3M Earplug Settlement Payment?
Settlement payments go to eligible claimants through the court-appointed settlement administrator, BrownGreer. Claimants use the 3m-earplugsettlement.com site and the MDL Centrality portal to register, handle claims and receive payments.
How Much Did Each Claimant Receive from the Earplug Settlement?
Each claimant’s payment amount from the earplug settlement remains unclear, CBS News reported, and no per-claimant figure has been made public. 3M’s filing gives only the $6.0 billion total settlement.
Is It Too Late to File a 3M Hearing Protection Claim?
It is too late to file a 3M hearing protection claim in the earplug settlement, because registration closed on March 25, 2024. Eligible claimants with filed cases who did not register on time are dismissed with prejudice under CMO 58, a court order for the settlement.
What Does the Research Say About Tinnitus and Hearing Loss?
NIDCD research on tinnitus and hearing loss says surveys estimate that 10 to 25% of adults have tinnitus. It adds that hearing loss is strongly associated with tinnitus, but some people with hearing loss never develop tinnitus.
References
- https://news.bgov.com/product-liability-and-toxics-law/3m-closes-on-defective-earplug-litigation-spanning-390-000-cases
- https://investors.3m.com/financials/sec-filings/content/0000066740-24-000007/a129248kex-991.htm
- https://www.cbsnews.com/news/3m-earplugs-lawsuit-settlement-update
- https://scrippsnews.com/stories/3m-begins-payments-to-service-members-in-6-billion-earplug-settlement/
- https://www.uscourts.gov/courts/flnd/3M-Case_Management_Order_No_58_Settlement_Implementation_Order.pdf
- https://www.startribune.com/3m-loses-final-bellwether-earplug-trial-with-77m-verdict-in-favor-of-veteran/600175103
- https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/noise-induced-hearing-loss
- https://www.browngreer.com/case-studies/combat-arms-earplugs/
- https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/tinnitus
- https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2024/3M-Recalls-Peltor-X4-Series-Earmuffs-Due-to-Risk-of-Overexposure-to-Loud-Noise-and-Sound
- https://recalls-rappels.canada.ca/en/alert-recall/3mtm-peltortm-x4-series-earmuffs-recalled-due-potential-injury-hazard
- https://www.gov.uk/product-safety-alerts-reports-recalls/product-recall-3m-peltor-comtac-viii-headset-2607-0161