If you have purchased a 3M Combat Arms Earplug, you may be eligible to receive money for damages if you file a class action lawsuit. The cost of the lawsuit will vary depending on the number of people involved. It’s estimated that a class action suit will cost around $25,000 for each person. Depending on the outcome, you may receive up to $300,000 in compensation for injuries.
Moldex-Metric
The Moldex-Metric vs 3M earplug lawsuit has been making the news. This is because the earplug lawsuit could cost 3M billion. It is also a case where the manufacturer is hiding from the jury. That is because the company is under pressure from investors.
In December, Judge Rodgers imposed significant sanctions on 3M. She said that 3M had “brazenly exploited the legal process” and was “unafraid to defraud the court.” Her ruling will likely box the company in.
At the same time, she has ruled that a new settlement conference must be held. This is the first step towards a global settlement.
According to the Wall Street Journal, there are more than 250,000 lawsuits pending against 3M. Most of these are cases of service members who were injured while serving in the military.
Combat Arms Earplug
The 3M Combat Arms Earplugs were created to help soldiers protect themselves from gunfire. However, according to veterans, the earplugs failed to provide adequate protection. Instead, they caused permanent hearing damage, tinnitus, and auditory processing disorders. If you or a loved one is suffering from hearing loss due to the use of earplugs, contact a lawyer.
Military personnel who used the earplugs between 2004 and 2015 can sue the manufacturer. These lawsuits, which are currently in federal court in Florida, alleging that the earplugs were defective.
Aearo Technologies, a company that later became a subsidiary of 3M, manufactured and sold dual-ended Combat Arms Earplugs (CAEv2) to the military. The earplugs were defective, but the company did not disclose this to the U.S. government.
Class action lawsuit
3M is facing nearly a quarter million lawsuits from veterans who claim they suffered hearing loss and tinnitus from using the company’s Combat Arms Earplugs. The earplugs were supposed to help soldiers do their jobs effectively. But instead, they failed to protect soldiers from high-level sounds.
In January, attorneys for victims of the earplugs filed a motion to consolidate the cases. This is an expedited process that will make meaningful progress on a global settlement.
It is expected that the payout for a successful jury verdict is around $20 million. That amount could be even higher if the case is consolidated with other earplug cases.
Although there are many possible settlements, the biggest risk to 3M is the failure to settle before the 11th Circuit ruling. It is estimated that the company will lose the case if the appeal is rejected.
Trial value is expected to be between $25,000 and $300,000 per person
A bellwether trial in the 3M earplug lawsuit may prove to be a turning point. Plaintiffs in these cases have asked MDL Judges to prevent the 3M bankruptcy strategy from being used against them.
In each of the past two trials, a jury found in favor of 3M. However, the verdict did not include economic damages. Instead, the jury awarded pain and suffering and punitive damages.
The jury found that the earplugs did not work as they were supposed to. They also found that 3M did not disclose design defects to the military. This resulted in the plaintiffs getting a $22 million verdict against the company.
A bellwether trial is typically one with one or two plaintiffs. These trials are usually held in two weeks. Each plaintiff is expected to receive a payout of between $25,000 and $300,000.
A bellwether trial may be a good indication of how much money the 3M earplug lawsuit is worth. Historically, these type of settlements has been global. Using this MDL structure may be a good idea for all earplug lawsuits.
Cost to 3M
If you have been exposed to earplugs made by 3M, you may be able to seek compensation. Military service members have filed hundreds of lawsuits against the company for its defective products. A new article by the Wall Street Journal discusses the case and what it means for 3M.
The article notes that the 3M earplug lawsuit was one of the largest mass torts in US history. The company has spent $450 million on attorney fees in defending the lawsuit. It also argues that it was not defectively designed.
The issue is how much money can be recovered. There are thousands of cases that raise similar claims. They allege that the earplugs were defective and causing hearing loss.
Several military veterans have suffered from hearing loss. A group of plaintiffs and their attorneys have a plan for a global settlement with the company.
