A law firm based in San Antonio is looking to help veterans and service members that were given defective combat hearing plugs. Phipps, Deacon, Purcell PLLC is working to assist these veterans and service members in receiving monetary compensation from a company that manufactured and knowingly sold defective hearing plugs to the U.S. Government. The plugs involved in the combat earplugs lawsuit are called 3M Dual-Ended Combat Earplugs Version 2.
The Department of Justice announced in 2018 that 3M Company agreed to pay $9.1 million. The payment is to resolve allegations against the company. The allegations are that it knowingly sold the dual-ended Combat Arms Earplugs, Version 2 (CAEv2) to the United States military. And they did this 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.”
As stated on the law firm’s website: “These earplugs did not protect servicemen and women as represented by the manufacturer and, as a result, caused hearing loss or tinnitus (a ringing or buzzing in the ear) for some users. The problem was that the dual-ended earplugs were too short to be properly inserted into users’ ears. As a result, the earplugs could gradually loosen without the user noticing, potentially leading to hearing loss or damage.”
Who Is Eligible For A Combat Earplugs Lawsuit?
You may be eligible to receive financial compensation from 3M in a combat earplugs lawsuit. That is if you meet certain conditions. (The U.S. Department of Defense is not liable for any damages). They are:
- You served in the U.S. military between 2003 and 2015.
- You were issued 3M Dual-Ended Combat Earplugs Version 2 during your service.
- You suffer from service-connected noise-induced hearing loss and/or tinnitus.
You can get more information about a combat earplugs lawsuit. You just need to contact the law offices of Phipps, Deacon, Purcell PLLC. They will evaluate individual cases. Then, they’ll represent servicemembers and veterans who are eligible to receive compensation in a combat earplugs lawsuit.
Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is hearing impairment resulting for exposure to loud sound. It can cause people to have a loss of perception of a narrow range of sound frequencies. It can cause an impaired cognitive perception of sound. This includes sensitivity to sound or ringing in the ears. Hearing may deteriorate gradually from chronic and repeated noise exposure. Or, it can go suddenly, from exposure to impulse noise like a gunshot. These loud sounds over-stimulate delicate hearing cells. This can lead to permanent injury or death of the cells. If this loss of hearing happens, it cannot be restored.
One way to avoid or reduce hearing loss is by wearing protection. One example is 3M Dual-Ended Combat Earplugs Version 2. When a person uses a faulty product for protection and is exposed to excessively high levels from sounds over time, hearing loss may happen. If it does, you may be eligible for a combat earplugs lawsuit.
Tinnitus
Tinnitus is the hearing of sound when no external sound is there. It can sound like a clicking, hiss or roaring. Most often, it is described as a ringing. In rare cases, voices or music are heard. The sound varies from case to case. It can be soft or loud. It can be low or high pitched. And, it can be in one or both ears. The condition usually comes on gradually and even leads to depression or anxiety for some people.
Tinnitus is not a disease. It is a symptom that results from an underlying cause. The most common cause is noise-induced hearing loss. As with NIHL, prevention involves avoiding loud noise and/or using protection around loud noise. When a person uses a faulty product for protection and is exposed to excessively high levels from sound over time, hearing loss may happen. In that case, you could be eligible for a combat earplugs lawsuit.
The Lawsuit
If you get involved in a combat earplugs lawsuit for financial compensation, it will be against 3M Company only. Remember, the U.S. Department of Defense is not liable for any damages. A lawsuit will not affect any VA benefits that you are entitled to. This is because you will not be pursuing damages against the U.S. Government. 3M is a contractor that knowingly supplied government personnel with faulty equipment that led to hearing loss/tinnitus. For more information, you need to contact the law offices of Phipps, Deacon, Purcell PLLC. They will evaluate individual cases and represent servicemembers and veterans who are eligible to receive compensation.
Phipps, Deacon, Purcell PLLC
The lawyers at Phipps, Deacon, Purcell PLLC know those who were injured by 3M’s wrongful conduct deserve justice. This is why the attorneys at Phipps Deacon Purnell are investigating cases from current or former personnel suffering from hearing loss across the United States. Phipps Deacon Purnell is located in San Antonio, Texas. They are in the area of several military bases. These bases include Fort Bliss, Camp Bullis, Fort Hood, Randolph Air Force Base, Fort Sam Houston, Brooks