Current:Home > reviews3M agrees to pay $6 billion to settle earplug lawsuits from U.S. service members -ProfitLogic
3M agrees to pay $6 billion to settle earplug lawsuits from U.S. service members
View
Date:2025-04-14 16:07:00
NEW YORK (AP) — Chemical and consumer product manufacturer 3M has agreed to pay $6 billion to settle numerous lawsuits from U.S. service members who say they experienced hearing loss or other serious injuries after using faulty earplugs made by the company.
The settlement, consisting of $5 billion in cash and $1 billion in 3M stock, will be made in payments that will run through 2029. The agreement announced by the Minnesota company on Tuesday marks a resolution to one of the largest mass torts in U.S. history.
Hundreds of thousands of veterans and current service members have reportedly sued 3M and Aearo Technologies, a company that 3M acquired in 2008, over their Combat Arms Earplug products. The service members alleged that a defective design allowed the products — which were intended to protect ears from close range firearms and other loud noises — to loosen slightly and allow hearing damage, according to Aylstock, Witkin, Kreis, & Overholtz PLLC, one of the law firms representing plaintiffs.
In an online summary about the Combat Arms Earlplug litigation, the Florida-based law firm notes that 3M previously agreed to pay $9.1 million to settle a lawsuit on behalf of the government alleging the company knowingly supplied defective earplugs to the U.S. military. And since 2019, the firm added, 3M has lost 10 of 16 cases that have gone to trial — awarding millions of dollars to plaintiffs to date.
The Associated Press reached out to Aylstock, Witkin, Kreis, & Overholtz PLLC for comment on Tuesday’s agreement. In a statement to to Bloomberg and other news outlets, attorney Bryan Aylstock called the settlement a historic agreement and a “tremendous victory for the thousands of men and women who bravely served our country and returned home with life-altering hearing injuries.”
In Tuesday’s announcement, 3M maintained that the agreement — which includes all claims in Florida’s multi-district litigation, coordinated state court action in Minnesota, and potential future claims — was not an admission of liability.
“The products at issue in this litigation are safe and effective when used properly,” the company wrote. “3M is prepared to continue to defend itself in the litigation if certain agreed terms of the settlement agreement are not fulfilled.”
3M has previously tried to reduce exposure to the earplug litigation through bankruptcy court, the Wall Street Journal reported. In 2022, Aearo filed for bankruptcy as a separate company, accepting responsibility for claims, but the filing was later dismissed in U.S. bankruptcy court.
Beyond the earplug litigation, 3M in June agreed to pay at least $10.3 billion to settle lawsuits over contamination of many U.S. public drinking water systems with potentially harmful compounds. The deal would compensate water providers for pollution with per- and polyfluorinated substances, also known as “forever chemicals.”
The agreement hasn’t been finalized yet. Last month, 22 attorneys general urged a federal court to reject the proposed settlement, saying it lets manufacturer 3M off too easily.
veryGood! (18669)
Related
- The Grammy nominee you need to hear: Esperanza Spalding
- Israeli ambassador to the U.S. says Hamas is playing for time in releasing hostages
- Syphilis among newborns continues to rise. Pregnant moms need treatment, CDC says
- International Monetary Fund warns Europe against prematurely declaring victory over inflation
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Triathlon
- Britain's loneliest sheep rescued by group of farmers after being stuck on foot of cliff for at least 2 years
- Biden administration guidance on abortion to save mother’s life argued at appeals court
- Stock market today: Asian shares mostly slip ahead of China-US meeting
- 'As foretold in the prophecy': Elon Musk and internet react as Tesla stock hits $420 all
- Las Vegas tech firm works to combat illicit college sports betting: How much bigger do we get than a starting quarterback?
Ranking
- Charges tied to China weigh on GM in Q4, but profit and revenue top expectations
- Wisconsin Senate to vote on GOP-backed elections amendments to the state constitution
- 4 charged in theft of 18-karat gold toilet
- Nasty drought in Syria, Iraq and Iran wouldn’t have happened without climate change, study finds
- North Carolina trustees approve Bill Belichick’s deal ahead of introductory news conference
- 4 charged in theft of 18-karat gold toilet
- Spanish author Luis Mateo Díez wins Cervantes Prize, the Spanish-speaking world’s top literary honor
- Ashley Benson Is Pregnant, Expecting First Baby With Fiancé Brandon Davis
Recommendation
Louvre will undergo expansion and restoration project, Macron says
Underdiagnosed and undertreated, young Black males with ADHD get left behind
Hootie & the Blowfish announces 1st tour since 2019: See all the 2024 dates
Why it may be better to skip raking your leaves
California DMV apologizes for license plate that some say mocks Oct. 7 attack on Israel
Veteran quarterback Carson Wentz is signing with the Los Angeles Rams, AP source says
Researchers discover oldest known black hole that existed not long after the Big Bang
Recall of lead contaminated applesauce pouches expands to two more brands: FDA