Court Accelerates 3M Earplug Trials

At the end of August 2021, the Florida judge overseeing the 3M Combat Earplug MDL ordered the litigation to speed up due to an “unprecedented backlog” of cases still in administration phases. Over 250,000 cases have been filed by military veterans claiming that standard issue 3M Combat Arms earplugs damaged their hearing. In some cases, the damage includes tinnitus or deafness.

In order to accelerate these cases, The Honorable M. Casey Rodgers, a United States Army veteran herself, will first close the administrative docket, requiring all cases to be formally filed. She then will issue a group of “wave orders” that will require groups of 500+ cases to be worked up for trial.  

As of mid-September 2021, over $8 million dollars have been awarded to victims in the 3M earplug bellwether trials. Further trials for the next group of bellwether cases are scheduled to take place between October and December of 2021.

Do You Have a 3M Earplug Lawsuit Claim?

If you or a loved one used 3M Combat Arms Earplugs during your service in the U.S. military and suffer from hearing loss or tinnitus, please contact us.