3M Earplugs Lawsuit

From 2003 to 2015, 3M’s dual-ended Combat Arms Earplugs (Version 2) were standard issue for U.S. service members deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan. Veterans alleged the earplugs were too short to seal properly in some ears, could imperceptibly loosen, and left hundreds of thousands of service members with hearing loss and tinnitus — and that 3M knew of the design problem from its own testing. 3M denied the allegations.

The Largest Mass Tort in U.S. History — Now Resolved

The litigation, consolidated as MDL 2885 in the Northern District of Florida before Judge M. Casey Rodgers, grew to become the largest MDL ever filed, with roughly 260,000 claims at its peak. Sixteen bellwether trials produced a string of major plaintiff verdicts. In August 2023, 3M agreed to a settlement valued at approximately $6 billion — about $5 billion in cash and $1 billion in stock — paid out through 2029 to resolve the litigation. The settlement achieved near-universal participation, and the MDL has moved into wind-down and payment administration.

What This Means Today

Mass Tort America is not accepting new 3M Combat Arms Earplug cases. The settlement program’s registration process is closed, and the window for new claims has effectively passed. Veterans already enrolled in the settlement should work with their existing counsel on payment status and documentation.

Separately, veterans with service-connected hearing loss or tinnitus may be entitled to VA disability benefits regardless of the settlement — tinnitus and hearing loss remain among the most common service-connected conditions. And if you are a veteran or firefighter facing a different exposure-related illness, active litigation such as the AFFF firefighting foam litigation may apply to you.