3M Combat Arms Earplugs

The Combat Arms Earplugs Version 2 (CAEv2) were double-ended earplugs developed by Aearo Technologies, which 3M acquired in 2008. One end was meant to block all sound; the other was meant to block loud impulse noise such as gunfire while letting soldiers hear commands. They were standard issue for many service members from the early 2000s until around 2015.

Veterans and service members alleged that the earplugs were too short to seal properly in many ear canals, so they could loosen without the user noticing, and that the company knew of the problem but did not disclose it or give proper fitting instructions. Hearing loss and tinnitus, a constant ringing in the ears, were the main injuries claimed. The civil litigation followed a 2018 settlement in which 3M resolved Department of Justice allegations under the False Claims Act that it supplied the military with defective dual-ended earplugs.

The case became the largest mass tort in U.S. history by number of claims. Federal lawsuits were consolidated as In re 3M Combat Arms Earplug Products Liability Litigation, MDL 2885, before Judge M. Casey Rodgers in the Northern District of Florida. In August 2023, 3M agreed to pay $6 billion to settle hundreds of thousands of earplug lawsuits, with payments spread over several years. 3M did not admit liability.

Because the settlement had a registration and claims process with deadlines, most eligible veterans who filed lawsuits have gone through that program. Anyone with questions about a claim should contact their own attorney or the settlement administrator. See our page on military earplugs and burn pits and what is MDL.