3M Defective Earplug Lawyers Serving Scranton and All of Pennsylvania
Attorneys helping injured military veterans with hearing loss lawsuits
U.S. veterans in Pennsylvania who were deployed in combat zones like Iraq or Afghanistan may need a personal injury lawyer from O'Malley & Langan Law Offices to help them file a lawsuit if they suffered hearing loss or tinnitus as a result of using defective 3M military earplugs. From approximately 2003-2015, the U.S. government issued military personnel dual-ended combat earplugs that were purchased from industrial conglomerate 3M to use as hearing protection while training or fighting overseas.
Thousands of American soldiers used 3M's military earplugs, and many claimed the earplugs were faulty, resulting in hearing loss or tinnitus. If you are a U.S. veteran who served in the military from 2003-2015 and you suffered any kind of damage to your ears as a result of using defective 3M military earplugs, a personal injury lawyer from O'Malley & Langan Law Offices in Pennsylvania can help. You may be able to receive compensation through a lawsuit for medical expenses, lost income, and your pain and suffering.
What you can do if you were injured using faulty 3M military earplugs
The combat earplugs from 3M were supposed to provide hearing protection to military personnel in two ways. If soldiers inserted the earplugs one way, it would allow them to block out most noise but still hear lower-level sounds, such as speech. If the soldier inserted the earplugs the other way, all noise, including explosions and gunfire, were supposed to be blocked out.
A defect in the design of the earplugs made them too short and allowed them to gradually loosen after they were inserted into the soldier's ear, leaving that person unknowingly exposed to damaging combat noise. While using the earplugs may have created the illusion of adequate hearing protection, the defect allowed noise to enter the ear canal, and now many U.S. military veterans are suffering from hearing loss or tinnitus.
In 2018, 3M settled a False Claims Act lawsuit with the U.S. government for $9.1 million after the government alleged 3M sold the earplugs to the U.S. military knowing they were flawed. That doesn't mean military veterans in Pennsylvania impacted by the faulty 3M earplugs can't get help from a personal injury lawyer. Contact a Pennsylvania personal injury lawyer from O'Malley & Langan to learn more. We have offices in Scranton, Pittston, and Towanda.
Being exposed to loud noises can result in hearing loss or tinnitus. Common symptoms of hearing loss include:
- Temporary loss of hearing that can appear to return within 48 hours
- Muffled or distorted sounds
- Difficulty hearing people's voices when they talk
- Having to increase the volume on electronic devices
Tinnitus is the perception of sound when there is none present. Common symptoms of tinnitus include:
- Constant ringing, buzzing, clicking, roaring, humming, or hissing in your ears
- Inability to concentrate
- Problems hearing external sounds
- Fatigue
- Stress
- Difficulty sleeping
- Depression, anxiety, irritability
- Difficulty remembering things
If you are a U.S. military veteran in Pennsylvania and think you've suffered hearing loss or tinnitus as a result of using defective 3M combat earplugs, a personal injury lawyer from O'Malley & Langan Law Offices can help you receive compensation with a lawsuit.
Personal injury attorneys who stand by victims of 3M's faulty earplugs
The brave men and women who served our country and made sacrifices to protect our freedoms should not have to suffer when they come home, especially due to a company's negligence. While the symptoms of hearing loss and tinnitus may not be immediately evident, over time they can cause a lot of problems and result in a mountain of medical bills, pain and suffering, and possibly lost income from missed time at work.
If you are a military veteran in Pennsylvania and suffered hearing loss or tinnitus from using defective 3M combat earplugs, you should talk to a personal injury lawyer right away to see if you have a lawsuit. Attorneys from O'Malley & Langan Law Offices have years of experience helping injured people in Pennsylvania get the compensation they deserve. Learn more about the faulty 3M military earplugs and what your rights are by contacting a Pennsylvania personal injury lawyer from O'Malley & Langan for a free consultation.
