![\"ear](\"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Spc.-Coca-Temoananui-e1549053987143.jpg\")
\nSpc. Coca Temoananui, assigned to the 311th Signal Command, puts in ear protection prior to a helicopter flight, in 2012. DEBRAH SANDERS\/U.S. ARMY PHOTO<\/p>\n
\nSpc. Coca Temoananui, assigned to the 311th Signal Command, puts in ear protection prior to a helicopter flight, in 2012. DEBRAH SANDERS\/U.S. ARMY PHOTO<\/p>\n
The now-discontinued Dual-Ended Combat Arms\u2122 Earplugs (CAEv2) were standard issued equipment for soldiers deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq between 2003 and 2015.<\/p>\n
In those 12 years, the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency had distributed millions of dollars\u2019 worth of Combat Arms earplugs to thousands of service members \u2013 without knowing about their defects \u2013 putting these men and women at risk for permanent hearing loss or impairment.<\/p>\n
3M agreed six months ago to pay military users $9.1 million to settle the government’s allegations that the company supplied defective earplugs, without admitting guilt. <\/p>\n
Which brings us to this:<\/p>\n
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn (Tribune News Service) \u2014 U.S. veterans have filed at least 11 lawsuits this month accusing 3M of knowingly selling thousands of defective earplugs to the military for use in combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan or training exercises in the United States.<\/p>\n
3M, without admitting guilt, agreed six months ago to pay military branches $9.1 million to settle the government’s allegations that the company supplied defective earplugs, the Department of Justice said at the time.<\/p>\n
The soldiers who filed the lawsuits say they now suffer permanent hearing loss or tinnitus as a result of 3M’s defective products.<\/p>\n
3M declined to discuss the cases, saying it doesn’t comment on pending litigation.<\/p>\n
“I can tell you that there will be more filings,” said attorney Muhammad S. Aziz. “I think this will go into thousands and thousands of cases. There is a lot of interest in this case by veterans.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Read the rest of the article here: Stars and Stripes<\/a><\/p>\n
Tip of the old chapeau to AnotherPat for the link. Thanks, and keep ’em coming.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"