North Chicago & St. Louis Injury Updates
Active duty military members and veterans alike are exposed to a lot of gunfire and other loud noises — and that is often just in training.
You know you need to protect your ears. You bought earplugs to do it, and you trusted them. You thought they could keep you safe. Instead, you have a ringing sound in your ears that you cannot shake and your ability to hear has notably declined. You have trouble just talking to your kids or your significant other.
To make matters worse, there isn’t a fix. It’s not that type of injury. Yes, you can use hearing aids, but now you have to depend on them for the rest of your life. This is literally a life-changing injury, and it’s the reason you bought the earplugs in the first place.
Knowingly selling defective earplugs?
If you find yourself in this situation, know that you are not alone. Military veterans have said that this is exactly what happened to them, right down to the hearing loss and the ringing in their ears. They blame defective 3M earplugs.
For one thing, they state that they had very little say in the matter. In the military, they got issued gear that others told them would work. They didn’t get to pick it out on their own. There were no alternatives. They felt forced into using those devices and suffering the consequences.
But it’s not that they blame the military. They think that the fault lies with 3M, and they claim that the company knew the earplugs were defective and sold them anyway. Hundreds of veterans now involved claim it was not a mistake. It was something 3M did on purpose to increase profits.
“It wasn’t an omission,” one man said in an interview with CBS. “It wasn’t something missed. It was deliberately lying to gain money and hurting our service members.”
Soldiers already have one of the most dangerous jobs in the world, with a high risk of injury. They have to trust their gear. In a situation like this, they feel that 3M let them down.
Luckily, anyone affected by this issue can explore legal options for what they are now dealing with, not only to cover long-term medical costs but to hold 3M accountable for any harmful business practices.