In a previous blog, we reported on how the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation was considering arguments regarding the consolidation of lawsuits filed against 3M for its alleged defective earplugs. Brett Oppenheimer attended the hearing in Washington D. C. This week, the Panel ordered all Federally-filed 3M lawsuits to be heard by U.S. District Judge M. Casey Rodgers presiding over a federal district court for the Northern District of Florida
Apparently motivated by the national scope of the lawsuits, the Panel selected the Northern District of Florida as the best forum with the “necessary judicial resources and expertise to manage this litigation efficiently and in a manner convenient for the parties and witnesses.” The Panel’s chairwoman, Hon. Sarah Vance, said: “Judge M. Casey Rodgers, to whom we assign these proceedings, is an able jurist with experience in presiding over large products liability [multidistrict litigation].”
From 2003 to 2015, 3M had an exclusive contract with the U.S. Department of Defense to supply the military with combat earplugs. 3M’s Dual-Ended CombatArms® Earplugs were intended to protect users against harmful sound levels from discharging firearms and detonating explosives. However, the design of the earplugs was allegedly insufficient for that purpose. As a result, several veterans and current military servicemembers have claimed that they suffered from severe hearing conditions including tinnitus, hearing loss, and other hearing impairments.
Last year, 3M agreed to a $9.1 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice regarding a False Claims Act lawsuit that also concerned its Dual-Ended CombatArms® Earplugs.
Call Brett H. Oppenheimer, PLLC for Quality Legal Counsel
If you served in the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard or National Guard between 2003 and 2015, you might be entitled to legal recourse for hearing loss and other hearing conditions, including Tinnitus (ringing in the ears). Brett H. Oppenheimer and his legal team are not afraid of standing up to large companies like 3M so they can be held accountable for their reckless disregard for public safety.
Call the office of Brett H. Oppenheimer, PLLC at (502) 242-8877 or contact us online to discover the merits of your claim.