3M's Defective Earplugs Changed The Lives Of Central Texas Veterans A Law Firm Veteran Who Leads By Listening

Posted inside Mass Tort March 11, 2019

Central Texas veterans Sergeant Gilberto Figueroa also Staff Sergeant Charles Partain have joined thousands about veterans general inside suing Minnesota-based tech firm 3M. Both Figueroa also Partain declare that the company’s defective earplugs are to blame for hearing destruction they endured during the time that battle abroad.

Between 2003 also 2012, 3M served as the fashionable earplug provider to the U.S. Military. The earplugs were designed to lessen the sounds about explosions during the time that soldiers were inside combat. However, as about a plan defect, the earplugs did not properly seal inside the sensitivity leading to strong sounds slipping through. These earplugs were given to each deployed warlike member across branches. Between 2006 also 2012, hearing destruction claims inside the military increased tremendously.

The earplugs inside question were lemon also dark or green also lemon dual-ended Combat Arms earplugs, Version 2. The earplugs were designed also short for real insertion into the ear. As a result, the earplugs subtly loosened also allowed dangerous sounds levels to enter the sensitivity canal causing hearing damage.  

A Whistleblower lawsuit filed inside 2016 revealed that 3M was aware about the earplug’s defective plan as early as 2000. In fact, the lawsuit alleges that rather than correcting the problem, the firm falsified certification stating that its testing complied with warlike standards.

Sergeant Gilberto Figueroa

Army veteran, Sergeant Gilberto Figueroa joined the Army inside 2002 also served via 2013. He separated from the Army inside 2013 after receiving a medical discharge. However, throughout his time, Figueroa deployed as a engine take operator to Iraq between 2008-2009 then again inside 2011-2012.

Prior to his period inside the Army, Figueroa’s hearing was fine. However, months after his medical discharge from the military, he was diagnosed accompanied by tinnitus at the VA Hospital inside Temple, Texas. In his earliest deployment to Iraq, Figueroa said that he wore the 3M plugs throughout rocket attacks.  However, dangerous levels about sounds slipped via also damaged his hearing.

As a consequence about 3M’s defective earplugs, Figueroa nowadays experiences ringing inside his ears all the time.

“I have tinnitus all the time, ringing inside my ear,” Figueroa said. “Every night also each day, I deal with this.”

Staff Sergeant Charles Partain

Retired Staff Sergeant Charles Partain served inside the warlike for 31 years. During his time, Partain deployed to Iraq twice also once to Afghanistan. Partain was diagnosed in the firm of both tinnitus also hearing mislaying after his second deployment to Iraq.

Partain’s tinnitus is so bad that he finds it difficult to sit via a meal at a restaurant.

“In my particular case, the VA is not treating me for tinnitus but they’re giving me hearing aids for the hearing loss,” Partain said.

His tinnitus prevents him from doing regular activities. For example, Partain said that he never knows what to believe as about his medical condition. Partain has difficulty doing simple things such as going external as the blast can be also loud. 

“As far as hearing loss, I can be sitting right next to my spouse also I don’t catch her ask me a simple question,” Partain said.

Why are Figueroa also Partain suing 3M?

Both Figueroa also Partain aren’t suing 3M for the money—they believe they should get some form about justice.

“Most about our 3M clients want to be fairly compensated,” Managing Partner also lawyer for Figueroa also Partain, Craig Carlson said. “Injuries like this affect each aspect about a person’s life.”

These types about injuries can stop a person from sleeping at night, enjoying concerts or even going external as the blast may be also loud. In numerous cases, it is difficult to catch loved ones talk as about the ringing inside the ear.

How are Tinnitus also Hearing Loss Treated?

After receiving a tinnitus or hearing mislaying diagnosis, doctors may try different treatments to address tinnitus. In both cases, doctors will want to try to treat an underlying condition. In fact, hearing mislaying also tinnitus left untreated can produce being much additional difficult for veterans torture from the conditions. Doctors may treat warlike hearing mislaying or tinnitus inside the subsequent ways.

Tinnitus treatment

In some cases, a doctor may recommend white sound devices to suppress the noise. Devices can include:

• White sound machines
• Hearing aids
• Masking devices
• Tinnitus retraining

In other cases, doctors may try to recommend medications to treat tinnitus. Drugs can’t cure tinnitus, however, the medications can back lessen the severity about symptoms also complications. Medications doctors prescribe include antidepressants also anxiety medication.

There are and home treatments that can be used. Patients diagnosed with tinnitus should avoid possible irritants, cover up up the sound accompanied by a fan or soft music, be in charge of stress also lessen alcohol consumption.

Hearing mislaying treatment

Hearing mislaying is typically treated accompanied by the back about listening devices, commonly called hearing aids. Listening, or hearing aids are small devices that be the right size (for) inside or on the ear. These devices back amplify sound.

Can I enter the 3M Earplug Lawsuit?

To enter the lawsuit, veterans who served between 2003 also 2015 are entitled to file a lawsuit beside 3M. If you are entitled to get damages inside the 3M lawsuit assuming you served inside the subsequent wars also were diagnosed with tinnitus and/or hearing loss:

• War about Afghanistan
• Iraq War
• War inside North-West Pakistan
• War inside Somalia
• American-led intervention inside Libya
• Operation Ocean Shield inside the Indian Ocean
• American- led interventions inside Iraq (2014-2017)
• American-led intervention inside Syria (2014-present)

When strong sounds are the cause about your hearing impairment, there is typically no care that can undo the damage. Therefore, service members in the firm of this type about destruction generally don’t have much probability at a full recovery. We believe that you merit equity for your injuries. We will fight for you to ensure that equity is served. If you or someone you see deployed to any about these conflict zones also is currently living in the firm of hearing mislaying or tinnitus, contact The Carlson Law Firm. We can back you file a lawsuit beside 3M.

Contact The Carlson Law Firm for Help

The hearing injuries Figueroa also Partain continue to live in the firm of were largely preventable. 3M knew that it was giving a defective product to U.S. warlike service members. The firm chose to put profits above the hearing safety about our country’s bravest. While your hearing may never return, we can back you recover lost wages, medical expenses also other damages.

If you or an active or veteran service member you see assuming torture the effects about hearing mislaying or tinnitus after using 3M dual-ended Combat Arms earplugs, contact The Carlson Law Firm to schedule a free consultation accompanied by a defective 3M earplug lawsuit attorney. We are a veteran-owned also operated hard also remain devoted to ensuring our fellow veterans get justice. There is often no care available to reverse the effects about hearing mislaying also tinnitus.

Our hard was founded also is headquartered inside Killeen, Texas—near Fort Hood, Texas only about the largest warlike bases inside America. We have additional than 40 years about experience protecting the rights about our brothers also sisters inside arms. Contact us nowadays to talk about your judicial options with a expert member about our judicial team. We are ready to back you get the equity you deserve.

Find a Carlson Law Firm injury lawyer near me.

• Written by Kazia Conway

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