There have been thousands of lawsuits filed by military veterans because of defective earplugs manufactured by 3M. The earplugs did not maintain a tight seal, allowing perilous loud sounds to slip through without the person wearing the plugs knowing. The lawsuits contend that 3M knowingly committed fraud against the U.S. military, failing to warn the military and soldiers of the earplugs’ defects, and falsifying earplug test results.
Victims have suffered from significant hearing loss and tinnitus because of the defective plugs.