Veterans harmed by allegedly defective 3M earplugs celebrate legal victory
MINNEAPOLIS – Hundreds of thousands of veterans suing Minnesota company 3M are celebrating a legal victory.
The lawsuits stem from allegedly defective earplugs that 3M sold to the U.S. military.
David David, a Brook Park veteran with a 27-year military career, was given the earplugs to wear during his tours in Iraq in the late 2010s. The earplugs were designed for combat and meant to protect from dangerous noises while still allowing for conversation.
Now, David lives with hearing loss that he blames the earplugs for.
"I have intermittent ringing," David said. "It's kind of like a whistling. I tend to read lips, per se. It causes more anxiety. I don't often go in public quite as often as I used to."
David is one of about 230,000 veterans suing 3M.
"The earplugs did not function as they were presented by 3M to the Department of Defense," said Dale Hoogeveen, the commander of the Minnesota VFW.
The 3M subsidiary that made the earplugs has declared bankruptcy, but a judge ruled last week that that doesn't shield 3M from the veterans' lawsuits.
Lawyers for the veterans called the decision a "tremendous victory," saying it's "a complete rejection of 3M's attempt to evade accountability and hide in bankruptcy."
3M says it will appeal, and that, "continuing to litigate these cases one-by-one … will not provide certainty or fairness for any party."
The company wants to resolve the issues through the bankruptcy process, which it says will pay plaintiffs more efficiently and equitably. 3M's committed $1 billion to those efforts.
Hoogeveen, who advocates for veterans, says that's not enough money to cover the damages.
"It affects my brothers and sisters that served alongside me as much as myself," David said.
Sixteen of the cases have gone to trial so far. 3M's lost 10 of them and has paid out about $265 million.