3m earplug lawsuit payout date. S. 3m earplug lawsuit payout date

 
S3m earplug lawsuit payout date 5 million in punitive damages and $5 million in compensatory damages, to a former soldier who alleged that his hearing loss resulted from defective 3M Co

Sigmon, 37, has been. 29, 2023, at 10:49 a. , Aug. S. 1 million to 77 million). FILE - The logo for 3M appears on a screen above the trading floor of the New York. The $6 billion in settlement funds will be paid out over the next several years based on qualifying criteria set forth in the settlement. In a landmark development, 3M, a multinational conglomerate, has agreed to a substantial settlement amount of over $6 billion in a class-action lawsuit involving faulty earplugs. Let’s start with the question: “What is 3M Earplug Lawsuit?” 3M was the exclusive supplier of earplugs for the U. 3M placed Aearo into bankruptcy last year, setting. 3M, on Tuesday, Aug. 1M lawsuit for faulty earplugs causing hearing damage to military members. 01 billion to settle nearly 260,000 lawsuits by current and former U. 3M Earplug Lawsuit Settlement Allegations were initially made against 3M several years ago when it was initially discovered that the products were too short to adequately fit all users. Since then, 3M has prevailed at six earplug-related trials and lost at 10; as of the most recent case, decided in May, 13 plaintiffs have won almost $300 million in judgments against the company. And with test trials during the MDL, both sides see how their arguments hold up in court. , June 9, 2023 / PRNewswire / -- Today, the United States Bankruptcy Court in the Southern District of Indiana granted plaintiffs' motion to dismiss Aearo's bankruptcy filing. Army alleging that he suffered hearing loss and tinnitus. 2 million to settle lawsuits alleging that the company sold defective earplugs to the Army, thousands of veterans who had suffered hearing damage and tinnitus began filing complaints against 3M. This would mark the latest large settlement by 3M. (Reuters) - A federal jury on Friday awarded a U. Department of Justice $9. That was won by the government. Tinnitus in both ears aint fun with mild hearing loss in my left ear not a way to live especially at night when its quiet and you are trying to sleep and all you hear. A lawyer for 235,000 plaintiffs suing 3M over its combat earplugs asked a bankruptcy. S. Soldiers filed about 255,500 personal injury claims claiming that their hearing was damaged by earplugs made by 3M subsidiary Aearo Technologies. In an online summary about the litigation, the Florida-based law firm notes that 3M previously agreed to pay $9. 3M Knew of Earplugs’ Hearing Loss Risk, Veterans’ Group Argues, Bloomberg, July 6, 2022. Aug 29 (Reuters) - 3M has agreed to pay $6. 3M has agreed to pay $6. We will update this page if/when that happens. So looking at a scenario where its a $100,000 settlement with 40% contingency fee. 2018: 3M settles with the Department of Justice for $9. 3M, on Tuesday, Aug. , March 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- U. S. Its amount was the highest awarded verdict on an individual litigant. 3M denies the allegations that. S. 1 million. 3M Agrees to Pay $6 Billion to Settle Earplug Lawsuits From US Service Members. S. 3M hit with $8. 2 Subsequent products liability claims by injured veterans against 3M. Updated 1:09 PM PST, August 29, 2023. Department of Justice $9. () A federal judge in Florida has. NEW YORK (Reuters) -A U. Tangent. While the original deadline for filing was 2019, an extension was granted. S. S. . 3m ordered to pay $50 million to army veteran in earplugs lawsuit The proposed settlement amount is significantly less than the $10 billion to $15 billion that some analysts have predicted the. S. service members who claim they suffered hearing loss and tinnitus after using the company’s Combat Arms earplugs. 4. Did TikTok Pay $1,250 To Class Members Who Dropped Opt. 3M agreed to pay $6. To date, the only settlement amount from 3M has been the $9. ST. Of 16 earplug cases that have gone to trial, 3M has lost 10, with about $265m being awarded in total to 13 plaintiffs. military, is a subject of. 3M Earplugs Lawsuits: Combat Arms Earplug Trials Begin April 2021. 3M Co. The vast majority of those are consolidated before U. 56 each, a move that would trim the stock's year-to-date decline to around 12. Lawsuits over the earplugs started in 2016 when Moldex-Metric, an industrial supply company, filed a whistle-blower lawsuit claiming 3M sold earplugs to the U. 6666 | FORTHEPEOPLE. A federal judge overseeing veterans’ earplug defect cases against 3M Co. June 5, 2022 - A federal jury in FL ruled 3M has to pay $77. The judge presiding over the 3M earplug MDL, U. military service members who claim the company's faulty. S. The $6 billion global settlement will be funded by 3M over the course of several years. S. 3M ORDERED TO PAY $50 MILLION TO ARMY VETERAN IN EARPLUGS LAWSUIT. Settlement awards will be based on damages. No outcome is guaranteed, but as the first cases go to trial in 2021, it seems likely that a global settlement in 3M earplug lawsuits may be reached within 1-2 years, based on similar mass tort product liability cases. soldiers are suing 3M over defective earplugs. veterans and service members. 3, 2023, there were 257,449 3M Combat Arms earplug lawsuits pending out of the 339,510 that were originally filed. 01 billion amount. military from 2003 to 2015. It had forecast a range of $10. 3M loses third trial in huge military earplug mass tort. military knowing they had defects. The settlement comes just two months after a U. This led to a settlement with the U. After a whistleblower suit was filed in 2016, accusing 3M of selling “dangerously defective” earplugs, the company agreed to pay $9. In July 2018, the Department of Justice announced that 3M Company agreed to pay $9. A tentative $5. LONGVIEW, Texas, Dec. 1 million dollars, not counting the more than 1 million that went to the “whistleblower. Chemical and consumer product manufacturer 3M has agreed to pay $6 billion to settle lawsuits from U. On May 22, a federal judge ordered 3M CEO Michael Roman to attend. That lawsuit was filed through the whistleblower provision of the False Claims. 3M subsidiary Aearo Technologies LLC filed for bankruptcy protection in Indiana on July 26, seeking to resolve lawsuits alleging that 3M's Combat Arms Earplugs Version 2 (CAEv2) caused hearing. Despite 3M’s attempt to declare bankruptcy, the case has been efficiently managed by Judge Rogers. A recent lawsuit filed by plaintiff Anthony F. Walgreens agreed to pay a record $500 million to settle an opioid lawsuit brought by the state of New Mexico. military that were not effective at preventing hearing loss. That suit claimed the company's subsidiary knew the earplugs were faulty. The 3M earplug lawsuit has become one of the most significant class-action lawsuits in recent years, drawing attention to the safety and protection of military service members and veterans. Tangent. As of October 2022, none of these claims have been settled. 5B Payout to. Sept 3, 2023. Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a press release announcing that 3M had agreed to pay $9. 5 billion settlement to resolve legal claims linked to earplugs sold to the U. The 3M Co. These 3M lawsuits claim that the design defects in 3M’s Combat Arms Earplugs caused serious. Published by C. 3M stock is rising higher alongside news of a lawsuit settlement. Legal. The 3M earplug lawsuit mentioned above ended up with a payout of 9. This would mark the latest large settlement by 3M. government to resolve allegations that its earplugs were defective because. July 1, 2022 - 3M faces potentially $7. ’s request to review a bankruptcy judge’s refusal to stop mass injury lawsuits from proceeding against the conglomerate following the chapter 11 filing of. X. 01 billion amount. August 31, 2023 at 3:24 PM PDT. According to the lawsuit, the U. S. service members. The initial lawsuit against 3M came six months after the company, in December 2018, agreed to pay military branches $9. 3M hit with $8. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit appeared skeptical of 3M’s move to stay earplug cases. September 8, 2022 Update: We have a 3M earplug lawsuit mediation date. . Under the agreement, 3M will contribute a total. 01 billion to settle nearly 260,000 lawsuits by current and former U. In the aftermath of the qui tam lawsuit’s settlement, numerous veterans who had developed hearing loss and tinnitus have filed products liability lawsuits against 3M. The other 10 trials yielded cumulative verdicts totaling more than $250 million. ___________. 1 million settlement to the Justice Department. Now, according to an August 27 report by Bloomberg News, 3M has put forward a $5. service members who say they experienced hearing loss or other serious injuries after using faulty earplugs made by the company. 5 billion settlement over defective earplugs, according to reports Sunday. Settlement talks are expected to resume May 25 and 26 in the 3M ear plug lawsuit filed by U. July 25, 2023: Barclays analyst Julian Mitchell estimates $8 billion to settle the earplug lawsuits. 67% higher in pre-market trading to indicate an opening bell price of $104. military members. 3M Earplug Settlement May Result in $5. 01 billion to settle lawsuits by U. S. bankruptcy judge dismissed 3M subsidiary Aearo Technologies’ attempt at bankruptcy to. The settlement comes just two months after a U. The settlement, consisting of $5 billion in cash and $1 billion in 3M stock, will be made in payments that will run through 2029. A global settlement of the massive 3M earplug litigation remains unlikely after a federal judge scrapped mediation talks and 16 plaintiffs firms opposed a request for more time to come up with a. August 2023: On Aug. 5 Million Awarded to 16 th Earplug Bellwether Plaintiff. To date, no plaintiff has settled a lawsuit. However, unlike in class action lawsuits, if no settlement is reached during the MDL proceedings, 3M earplug lawsuits will move forward individually. Lead counsel Douglas Monsour won the largest verdict to date against 3M and their earplugs used by the United States military. August 29, 2023: Appointment Order (Settlement Special Master) Order appointing John W. 01 billion to settle lawsuits by U. 3M announced Tuesday that it agreed to pay $6 billion to settle hundreds of thousands of lawsuits alleging 3M’s military earplugs caused hearing loss for U. S. Legal analysts anticipate that 3M earplug lawsuits will eventually settle. This jury award has other service members who sustained hearing loss wondering if they, too, could still move forward with. US troops. The more realistic number is probably higher. Fact Checked. With the average 3M earplug lawsuit payout per person likely to range widely depending on the extent and duration of each veteran’s hearing loss, analysts have provided a wide range of estimates. The settlement, consisting of $5 billion in cash and $1 billion in 3M stock, will be made in. N) on Monday agreed to pay $6. 3M’s latest legal settlement includes some curious wrinkles. The litigation, which started back in 2018, after a whistle-blower filed a lawsuit against 3M (MMM) revealing allegations that 3M (MMM) and its subsidiary, Aearo Technologies, had knowingly sold defective dual-ended Combat Arms earplugs to the United States Military. The settlement, consisting of $5 billion in cash and $1. military members and veterans. military had a contract for these earplugs from 2003 to 2015. The U. Settlement talks are expected to resume May 25 and 26 in the 3M ear plug lawsuit filed by U. The settlement caps a. has agreed to pay $6 billion to veterans and service members who say their hearing was damaged while they used earplugs made by a subsidiary of the manufacturing giant. The settlement will benefit approximately 220,000 to. You can read the settlement, the case management orders, etc. Driving the news: 3M, the conglomerate, recently put its Aearo Technologies subsidiary into bankruptcy. A federal judge has ordered 3M Co CEO Michael Roman to attend mediation aimed at resolving nearly 260,000 lawsuits alleging that 3M military earplugs caused hearing loss, saying the negotiations. That's how much 3M said it had spent in attorney's fees in the earplug lawsuit as of January. The U. has tentatively agreed to pay more than $5. Army veteran who said that after using 3M's Combat Arms Earplugs Version 2 from 2006 to 2017 primarily during training. judge penalizes 3M, bars it from shifting liability in earplug litigation, Reuters, December 22, 2022. Punitive damages, imposed to punish the defendant for exceptional negligence, played a large part in driving up these payouts to the seven-figure range. S. military service members who say they suffered hearing loss. The. history. Beyond the earplug litigation, 3M in June agreed to pay at least $10. Jurors in Pensacola, Florida, awarded $50 million to Luke Vilsmeyer, a U. In one of the largest U. Special to Stars and Stripes • September 19, 2023. S. You may be eligible to join them in the 3M combat arms earplugs lawsuit if: You served in any branch of the military at any time between 2003 and 2015; and. public drinking water systems with potentially harmful compounds. This is a huge disadvantage for 3M. 3M’s Potential Earplug Payout Is Still Just the Beginning. 3M earplug lawsuits claim that defective design of the Dual-Ended Combat Arms Earplugs Version 2 (CAEV2) caused them to loosen, leading to hearing damage or loss for thousands of veterans and active-duty military. Aearo’s Chapter 11 proceedings, filed by the company last year to resolve about 230,000 claims over hearing loss by. ”. Bankruptcy Judge Jeffrey Graham in Indianapolis ruled that Aearo, as a. military between 2003 through 2015 were flawed, causing hearing loss and tinnitus in many service members. Fact Checked. The verdict was the tenth trial victory of the 16 bellwether. We believe in these lawsuits and, while there are no guarantees, we are optimistic that there will be high settlement amounts offered, maybe even before a single Tepeza lawsuit goes to trial. December 22, 2022, 9:58 PM UTC . Aearo is assessing its options for appeal of this decision, and 3M and Aearo will continue to pursue appeals raising evidentiary and legal issues from. 3M said it would pay $6 billion to resolve claims that its earplugs caused hearing loss among veterans, putting a long-awaited price tag on a large chunk of the company’s legal troubles. When 3M enters meaningful settlement discussions, legal funding will again become available. The litigation includes more than 255,000 lawsuits filed by U. 3M Co faces more than 230,000 lawsuits accusing it of selling defective earplugs that caused hearing loss for U. acted incorrectly when imposing sanctions totaling $12,000 on two Dechert LLP trial attorneys who represented the company, the Eleventh Circuit said Wednesday. 3M knew this after it bought the company, but it continued to sell the earplugs without a warning. military veterans and service members who say they suffered hearing loss from using the company's. public drinking water systems with potentially harmful compounds. 01 billion to settle nearly 250,000 lawsuits filed by current and former U. S. The 3M Company sold earplugs to the U. Big Number. These are not long lists. 3M has agreed to pay $6. Paul, Minnesota-based technology and manufacturing giant that supplied a version of Combat Arms earplugs to the U. military. No. judge on Friday dismissed the bankruptcy of 3M subsidiary Aearo Technologies, rejecting an effort to resolve nearly 260,000 lawsuits alleging that 3M military earplugs caused hearing loss for veterans and U. S. combat troops and produced by a subsidiary. The U. 20, 2023, 9:04 PM UTC . Older Updates. S. military service members between 2003 and 2015. DATE: RESULT: 1: Hacker / Estes / Keefer: May 2021: $7,100,000: 2: McCombs: May 2021: Defense Verdict: 3:. About 250,000 people have filed suits alleging the Combat Arms earplugs, used by the military. 3M. Brooke Sutherland, Columnist 3M’s Potential Earplug Payout Is Still Just the Beginning A tentative $5. S. Bankruptcy Court in Indianapolis. 5 million to a U. 3M Earplug Bellwether Trial Culminates. April 30 (Reuters) - 3M Co (MMM. When 3M enters meaningful settlement discussions, legal funding will again become available. 3M has lost 10 of the 16 earplug cases that have gone to trial so far, with about $265 million being awarded in total to 13 plaintiffs. Settlement talks are expected to resume May 25 and 26 in the 3M ear plug lawsuit filed by U. , in 2008, years after Aearo began selling them. Aug 28 (Reuters) - 3M (MMM. You now suffer hearing loss, ringing ears, or other related symptoms. history, but it’s still facing other expensive legal headaches. COM. Find out who got appointed to lead the lawsuits filed over the Feb. According to the accusations, Aearo lied on the earplugs’ ability to protect against sudden sounds and conduced sham. Any rumors you hear of money being paid are patently false. Veteran wins earplug lawsuit against 3M. One lawsuit may have started 3M and its. history. , facing more than 200,000 lawsuits accusing it of harming soldiers with defective combat earplugs, opens a new round of mediation Thursday overseen by the same federal judge the industrial. The verdict, the largest for an individual plaintiff to-date, included $5 million in compensatory damages and $72. 2006: The Combat Arms Earplug Version 2 (CAEv2) is introduced to the military. Overview of the 3M Earplugs Litigation. military. The two-day settlement talks begin next Thursday, September 15, 2022, at the U. 3M Co. 3M has agreed to pay $6 billion to vets and service members who suffered hearing loss due to faulty earplugs. Damages vary per plaintiff as the outcome of each case is different. S. 3M didn’t admit liability in that settlement, and it’s not doing so now, either. June 5, 2022 - A federal jury in FL ruled 3M has to pay $77. Range of payout is expected to be $50,000 to $300,000 depending on severity. 3M ( MMM) - Get Free Report moved firmly higher following a report that suggests the industrial group will pay a $5. Results of 3M Earplug Bellwether Trials (to date) - Veterans leading over 3M: 8 - 5. Palanki first used the 3M earplug in 2005, which would have put his claim beyond the 10-year limit. Today, we secured a $6. The 3M earplug lawsuit has become one of the most significant class-action lawsuits in recent years, drawing attention to the safety and protection of military service members and veterans. After a whistleblower suit was filed in 2016, accusing 3M of selling "dangerously defective" earplugs, the company agreed to pay $9. 5% year to date. August 27, 2022: Filing bankruptcy protection for its subsidiary does not excuse 3M from defending lawsuits in the 3M earplug class action, a federal bankruptcy judge ruled yesterday. The stock, which closed Monday at $118. So, this type of claim has far-reaching consequences for 3M. The taxes at a 30% rate would be $30,000. September 25, 2022. government for selling the defective earplugs to the military. IMPORTANTIn the event there are multiple Claimants with the same name and date of birth represented by the same Firm, ARCHER will verify identity of the Claimant by requesting last four of social security number only. service members who claim they suffered hearing loss and tinnitus after using the company’s Combat Arms earplugs. Army veteran who said that after using 3M's Combat Arms Earplugs Version 2 from 2006 to 2017 primarily during training. More than 255,000 U. August 29, 2023: Appointment Order (Settlement Special Master) Order appointing John W. 3M Co. October 17, 2023: Scammers have set their sights on claimants participating in the $6 billion settlement related to allegations of hearing damage caused by 3M combat earplugs. S. In 2018, the U. 3M has lost 10 of the 16. 5 million to veteran in 3M earplug case, Washington Post, May 20, 2022. U. Today, we secured a $6. I doubt if many (if any) folks will be getting $300K settlements, 3M doesn't have deep enough pockets to settle 290,000 cases at. 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS has been following the earplug litigation since 2018, when 3M paid $9 million to settle the first earplug claims from the Department of Justice. 3M has agreed a $6bn legal settlement with more than 250,000 military veterans who claimed combat earplugs it supplied to the US Army failed to protect them from hearing loss. has agreed to pay $6 billion to veterans and service members who say their hearing was damaged while they used earplugs made by a subsidiary of the manufacturing giant. S. 3M acquired the subsidiary that made the plugs, Aearo Technologies Inc. 3M shares, a Dow component, were marked 5. Of 16 earplug cases that have gone to trial, 3M has lost 10, with about $265 million being awarded in total to 13 plaintiffs. service members and veterans who suffered hearing injuries to include hearing loss and tinnitus as a result of using the company's. 2003: The United States military enters into a contract with Aearo Technologies, a company later acquired by 3M, for the production and supply of dual-ended combat earplugs. 30 to $10. Assuming 25,000 payout per case, that adds up to 6. ST. 3M last July put Aearo in bankruptcy as part of its effort to reach a global settlement for about 230,000 lawsuits claiming its military earplugs were defective and damaged the hearing of veterans. has struck a settlement with plaintiffs' attorneys to settle a mountain of lawsuits related to a line of military-grade earplugs. veterans are currently pursuing 3M earplug lawsuits, each raising similar allegations that 3M Company and Aearo Technologies sold defective earplugs to the U. This was after a whistleblower within 3M alerted the Federal Government to the defective nature of the earplugs. 5 mln to veteran in latest earplug trial 3M hit with $110 million verdict in latest U. The agreement includes all MDL claims in Florida and a coordinated state court action in Minnesota. To resolve the allegations, 3M agreed to pay $9. jury in first combat earplug trial. 5 million to James Beal, an army veteran whose lawsuit alleged the 3M’s faulty earplugs caused. – Thousands of veterans and current military service members may be entitled to receive compensation in the 3M earplug lawsuit. The jury then awarded. The deal, announced on Tuesday, settles one of the largest mass. The sanctions issue will return to the lower court for a fresh determination. 1 million to settle a lawsuit on behalf of the government. 1 million but does not admit liability. Those cases have been pending in the Middle District of Florida since 2019. has tentatively agreed to pay more than $5. Ted April 7, 2023 at 5:17 pm. The parties announced today that, without any admission of liability, 3M Company has agreed to pay $6 billion to resolve the nearly 250,000 lawsuits in the MDL filed by United States military service members, veterans, and commercial users, alleging CAE-related injuries from use of the CAE for hearing protection. However, $10 billion seems like a conservative estimate. S. 5 billion earplug lawsuit settlement proposal which would, if approved, resolve the litigation and prevent the. I wear hearing aids and I have tinnitus rated at 10%. An earlier version of this article gave an incorrect estimate of the amount a typical plaintiff would receive in the 3M earplug settlement. 3M hit with $6 mln punitive damages by U. Secondly, you must have been diagnosed with hearing loss or tinnitus (ringing in the ears) since using these defective earplugs. military service members who say they suffered hearing loss from using the company's earplugs. After the announcement in July 2018 that 3M paid the DOJ $9. S. 3M acquired the subsidiary that made the plugs, Aearo Technologies Inc. 1 million settlement to the U. (Reuters) - The number of new civil and criminal cases filed in federal courts in the 12 months ending June 30 fell 17. S. Since then, 3M has prevailed at six earplug-related trials and lost at 10; as of the most recent case, decided in May, 13 plaintiffs have won almost $300 million in judgments against the company. New York CNN — 3M has agreed to pay $6 billion to resolve roughly 300,000 lawsuits alleging that the manufacturing company supplied faulty combat. July 28, 2022 – Due to the uncertainty surrounding 3M’s bankruptcy proposal, TriMark Legal Funding is not currently offering legal funding on the 3M earplug lawsuit. Lawsuits against a bankrupt company are paused as soon as a Chapter 11 petition is filed and the claims are moved in front of a bankruptcy judge. They are reporting $8333 per client is the starting point for the settlement. 5. 3 derailment of a. January 6, 2023 at 12:26 PM PST. is nearing agreement on a $5. 3M Earplug Lawsuit Funding Suspended. S. What to Know About the 3M Earplug Lawsuit Payout. 7 to $22. allow 3M to shield itself from liability at this late date. A federal judge has barred attorneys and claimants involved in 3M’s $6 billion settlement with U. 23 On September 8, 2023, the Court conducted Case Management Conference No. 5 million to a U. As a result, thousands of veterans. Understanding the Scope of the 3M Earplug Lawsuit: Evaluating the Number of Involved Individuals. 3M has lost 10 of the 16 earplug cases that have. Aug. military veterans and service members who say they suffered hearing loss from using the company’s earplugs, the company and lawyers. ". The jury found that 3M’s Combat Arms Earplugs Version 2 were defective and caused the plaintiffs, Ronald Sloan and William Wayman, to suffer hearing damage. 3M Earplug Lawsuit Payout | Combat Arms Earplug. is it too late to join the lawsuits if we didn't trust the spammy class action advertisements to sue previously?. This information is included in Aearo's estimation motion filed in the U. 5M Verdict in Final Earplug Trial, 3M Looks To 'Enormously Consequential' Appeals. 3M has reached a $6 billion settlement with veterans and military service members over allegations that defective earplugs led to hearing loss among users. 1 million to settle a whistleblower lawsuit accusing the company of knowingly selling defective earplugs to the U. S. subsidiary Aearo Technologies LLC, the bankrupt maker of allegedly defective combat earplugs, is ineligible for bankruptcy relief, a judge ruled. S. This settlement will help to resolve approximately 300,000 lawsuits that were filed against the company and its defective earplugs. 1 million in 2018 to settle an earlier whistleblower suit. service members who say they experienced hearing loss or. the "flawed outcome" in some of the trials that have gone forward to date. Attorneys for 230,000 current and former service-members last month warned a bankruptcy judge in Indiana that settlement talks have reached “an unbreakable impasse” despite three months of meetings with mediators, according to court filings. 2019: In this year, a settlement was reached between 3M and the Department of Justice. The 3M earplug lawsuit is a collection of individual lawsuits, not a. 3M reaches $10. 01 billion to settle lawsuits filed by U. Just like all of the other bellwether plaintiffs, Beal was a veteran of the U. The product in question was the dual-ended combat arms earplugs. . They urged a federal judge in Florida to restart discussions aimed at reaching an out-of-court. troops and veterans over earplugs the service members said didn’t work, causing permanent. 1 million to the Department of Justice to resolve the. S. military veterans and service members. Department of Defense records for more than 175,000 plaintiffs show that the vast majority of claimants in Combat Arms earplug litigation have normal hearing under medically accepted standards.