Combat arms twitter11/19/2022 Researchers have identified that veterans with tinnitus are at an increased risk of anxiety and depression from the constant buzzing in their ears. While some cases of tinnitus are low enough that it does not create a lot of disturbance or pain, many cases of tinnitus cause extreme suffering for veterans. The Mayo Clinic defines tinnitus as "the perception of noise or ringing in the ears". One soldier even reported to CBS News that since his tinnitus diagnoses, he had no sense of quiet or peace anymore, only ringing ears and pain. Veterans filing 3M earplug lawsuits claim their quality of life has significantly decreased since being diagnosed with hearing disabilities. The Department of Defense warns that hearing injuries quickly affect veterans' work performance, social skills, and even their emotional well-being. Military members affected by defective 3M earplugs report the following injuries: However, they were actually at high risk of hearing damage. Soldiers harmed by defective 3M earplugs thought they could trust their earplugs while in combat zones or in training. However, innocent soldiers now endure painful, permanent hearing disabilities from using their standard issued earplugs. In July 2018, the Department of Justice reached a $9.1 million dollar settlement with 3M over the Dual Sided Combat Arms Earplugs, settling all claims that 3M defrauded the government by selling them defective military earplugs. 3M discontinued selling the Combat Arms earplugs in 2015 and denied any wrongdoing on their part. Even when 3M acquired Aearo Tech and its earplug scientists and technicians, they still failed to inform the military of the earplug defect. This was three years before they signed a contract with the military and started distributing the earplugs to U.S. Now, thousands of claims made by injured veterans say the flawed earplugs failed to adequately protect their ears and contributed to their hearing difficulties and injuries.Īccording to allegations, Aearo knew of the earplug design flaw as early as 2000. But, the short stem subjected soldiers to inadequate hearing protection and caused them to develop extreme hearing disabilities. Soldiers were unaware at the time that the earplugs were defective, so they continued to use the earplugs without complaint.Īearo's earplug design originally intended to block out certain loud noises and protect soldiers' ears from the intense sounds of gunshots, explosions, etc. The short stem caused the earplug to loosen in the ear canal, exposing soldiers' ears to dangerously high decibels of sound. soldiers.Īccording to the lawsuits, the 3M Combat Arms earplugs had a too-short earplug stem that caused the earplug to not fit properly nor safely into soldiers' ears. The lawsuit blamed 3M for knowingly selling the military defective earplugs for more than a decade, contributing to the hearing injuries of thousands of U.S. called out the dual-ended Combat Arms earplugs as defective and accused 3M of fraud. Corporate giant 3M Company later acquired Aearo in 2008 and continued to distribute the Combat Arms earplugs until they stopped making them in 2015.Īccording to a 2016 whistleblower lawsuit against 3M, Moldex-Metric Inc. military in 2003 for the Combat Arms earplugs, which was later taken over by 3M. The dual ended Combat Arms earplugs were originally created and manufactured by Aearo Technologies Inc. So, earplugs are a necessity for military members, trusted tools to protect and serve them as they protect and serve others. Hearing loss, tinnitus, and other hearing disabilities are the most common among individuals in the armed forces. Long training periods, combat operations, and extreme noises from vehicles, aircrafts, and weapons increase soldiers' risk of hearing loss compared to the average American. Department of Veteran Affairs reports hearing problems are the most common service-connected disability among US veterans. The military made the Combat Arms earplugs standard issue for all deploying soldiers in 2004, affecting soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan in the early 2000's. Marine Corps ordered over 20,000 pairs of the Combat Arms earplugs in 2003, because they were convinced of the earplugs' effectiveness. According to testimonies, the Combat Arms earplugs were standard issue for many branches of the military. Soldiers even serving in combat zones actively used these earplugs for hearing protecting. military distributed dual ended 3M Combat Arms Earplugs to thousands of American soldiers across the globe.
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