3M fights a growing legal battle over combat-grade earplugs
Publishing timestamp: 2023-03-15 17:17:15
Summary
More than 200,000 military servicemembers and veterans are suing 3M, claiming that its Combat Arms earplugs failed to protect them from loud noises causing hearing loss and tinnitus. 3M denies wrongdoing and has lost 10 of 16 bellwether cases that have gone to trial so far, with a total of $265 million awarded to 13 plaintiffs. The lawsuits have been consolidated in Florida federal court, creating what some are calling the largest mass tort in US history. 3M recently unveiled new data that shows 90% of a group of 175,000 plaintiffs have no hearing impairment under medically accepted standards, according to US Department of Defense records.
Sentiment: MIXED
Keywords: industrial select sector spdr fund, business news, united states, health care industry, lawsuits, johnson & johnson, 3m co, business,
Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2023/03/15/3m-legal-battle-combat-grade-earplugs.html