If you served in the U.S. military between 2003 and 2015 and now live with hearing loss or tinnitus, you may have a claim. Segal Law Firm is reviewing 3M Combat Arms earplug cases for veterans and active-duty service members.
3M sold Combat Arms dual-ended earplugs to the U.S. military for over a decade. Internal documents showed the company knew the design was defective, yet it kept selling them without warning. Hundreds of thousands of veterans paid the price with their hearing.
What happened with 3M Combat Arms earplugs
3M's Combat Arms version 2 earplugs (CAEv2) were standard issue across multiple branches from 2003 to 2015. The plugs were marketed as protecting hearing while allowing command voices to come through. Litigation revealed 3M knew the plugs were too short to seal properly, and concealed that information from the military.
After one of the largest mass torts in U.S. history, 3M agreed to a multi-billion dollar settlement program. Veterans with qualifying hearing loss, tinnitus, or related conditions who used CAEv2 plugs may still be eligible for individual review.
What you may recover
Compensation for hearing loss
Compensation for tinnitus
Medical & hearing-aid costs
Lost income from disability
Pain and suffering
Loss of enjoyment of life
What veterans should do
Even if you've heard about the settlement, your individual review still matters.
Gather service records
DD-214, deployment dates, unit assignments. We use these to confirm CAEv2 issuance during service.
Get an audiology evaluation
If you haven't been formally tested, schedule one, VA or private. Audiograms are central evidence.
Document VA claims
Any VA disability ratings for hearing loss or tinnitus help establish service connection.
Call us for a free review
We confirm eligibility, walk you through the process, and handle the paperwork, at no upfront cost.
Why veterans choose Segal
We work with veterans, not on them
Direct attorney contact. Plain-language explanations. We respect your service and your time.
Mass-tort experience
We've handled large-scale product litigation for decades and know how to navigate settlement programs.
Service-record verification
We help obtain DD-214s, deployment records, and audiology files when you don't have copies.
No upfront cost, ever
Contingency only. You owe nothing unless we recover for you.
Deadlines apply even in settlement programs.
Eligibility, registration, and proof deadlines vary. Even if you've heard about the settlement, talk to us, late or incomplete claims often get denied.
Partial or total, in one or both ears. Often requires lifetime hearing aids and impacts every part of daily life.
Tinnitus
Constant or intermittent ringing, buzzing, or hissing in the ears. One of the most-reported service-connected disabilities.
Hyperacusis
Painful sensitivity to ordinary sounds. Often appears alongside tinnitus and is severely disabling.
Loss of balance
Vestibular issues sometimes connected to inner-ear damage from improper hearing protection.
Sleep disruption
Tinnitus and hearing loss frequently cause chronic insomnia and related health effects.
Emotional & cognitive impact
Anxiety, depression, and cognitive difficulty linked to long-term untreated hearing loss.
Career & income loss
Disability ratings, missed promotions, jobs lost due to hearing-related limitations.
Quality-of-life damages
Loss of music, conversation, social connection, the daily losses of life with hearing damage.
A deeper look
How the 3M Combat Arms earplug litigation actually works, and what it means for New York veterans
The 3M Combat Arms earplug case is one of the largest mass torts in U.S. history, but the size of the overall settlement does not mean every veteran automatically receives a payout. Individual eligibility, proof of use, and injury documentation still control the outcome. Here is what New York-based veterans and service members need to understand about the process.
The origin of the case: a known design flaw
The CAEv2 earplug had a stem that was too short to insert deeply enough into the ear canal for a proper seal. Internal 3M testing as far back as 2000 showed the earplugs could imperceptibly loosen, allowing damaging sound to reach the ear while the wearer believed they were protected. 3M did not disclose this defect to the military.
The company (through its Aearo Technologies subsidiary) continued supplying CAEv2 plugs as standard-issue gear until 2015, when the product was discontinued. Whistleblower litigation under the False Claims Act first exposed the internal test data, which became the foundation for the consolidated litigation that followed.
How the litigation was consolidated (MDL 2885)
Because hundreds of thousands of veterans filed similar claims, the cases were consolidated into a federal multidistrict litigation, In re: 3M Combat Arms Earplug Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2885, in the Northern District of Florida. Bellwether trials, a small number of representative cases tried to verdict, tested how juries would value hearing loss and tinnitus claims before the broader settlement was reached.
Those bellwether verdicts, several in the millions of dollars, put pressure on 3M and led to the global resolution. 3M ultimately agreed to fund a settlement program without formally admitting liability, and claims are now processed through a structured administrative framework rather than individual jury trials for most claimants.
Proving eligibility: what evidence actually matters
To qualify, a veteran generally needs to show CAEv2 issuance or use during the relevant service period, along with a documented hearing injury, hearing loss, tinnitus, or a related auditory condition. Service records (DD-214, deployment orders, unit rosters) establish the timeframe and branch.
Medical proof is equally important. VA disability ratings for hearing loss or tinnitus are strong evidence, but a private or VA audiogram performed after separation can also support a claim. The strength of the audiometric findings, and how closely they align with noise-induced hearing loss patterns, often affects how a claim is categorized within the settlement program.
DD-214 and deployment records
Unit assignment confirming CAEv2 issuance
VA disability rating documentation
Audiogram or hearing test results
Medical records noting tinnitus complaints
Any prior VA claims for hearing conditions
How claims are valued within the settlement program
Rather than a single flat payment to every claimant, the settlement structure evaluates claims by severity, tier, and supporting documentation, similar in concept to a claims matrix used in other mass torts. Tinnitus-only claims are generally valued lower than claims involving documented, measurable hearing loss, and claims with stronger medical and service corroboration are positioned more favorably.
Because the program is administrative rather than adversarial in the traditional sense, presentation matters. A claim submitted with a complete, well-organized record often fares better than one with gaps, even when the underlying injury is comparable.
What if you missed the original registration deadline
Many veterans first learn about this litigation from a friend, a VA appointment, or news coverage, often years after the original MDL registration windows closed. Depending on when you were diagnosed and what documentation exists, alternative paths, late-claim provisions, or state-law options outside the settlement program may still be available.
This is highly fact-specific and changes as the settlement program administers different claim waves. The only way to know your options is to have your specific timeline reviewed rather than assume the door is closed.
This is separate from your VA disability claim
A 3M settlement claim and a VA disability compensation claim are legally distinct. Pursuing one generally does not reduce or interfere with the other, though the two claims often rely on overlapping medical evidence. Coordinating them properly, so the same audiogram and VA rating support both files consistently, strengthens your position in each.
Veterans sometimes worry that filing a lawsuit-adjacent claim will jeopardize benefits earned through service. It does not change your VA eligibility, and we walk clients through exactly how the two processes interact.
Why New York veterans still need individualized review
Even though this is a national mass tort, New York veterans face the same documentation hurdles as anyone else, obtaining archived service records, scheduling audiology evaluations, and organizing VA paperwork. We help clients throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, Long Island, and Staten Island gather what's needed and submit a complete, well-supported claim.
We also monitor how the settlement program's claim categories and payment schedules evolve, since these programs are administered over multiple years and procedures can change. Staying current on the program rules is part of what keeps a claim from being under-valued or delayed.
Areas we serve for 3M earplug claims
We help veterans and service members throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, Long Island, and Staten Island navigate the 3M Combat Arms earplug settlement program, and we review claims nationwide regardless of where you currently live.
Manhattan
Brooklyn
Queens
The Bronx
Staten Island
Long Island
Nassau County
Suffolk County
Westchester County
Veterans nationwide
Active-duty & National Guard members
Family members filing on behalf of a veteran
Frequently asked
Answers before you call
Didn't 3M already settle?+
Yes, 3M agreed to a multi-billion dollar settlement program. But individual eligibility, documentation, and award amounts still need to be established case by case. We help you navigate that.
I never registered for the original MDL. Am I out of luck?+
Not necessarily. Late-registration windows and alternative paths sometimes exist. Call us so we can review your specific timeline.
What if I don't have my DD-214?+
We can help you request it from the National Archives. Other service documents and VA records can also support the claim.
Will this affect my VA benefits?+
Generally no. A 3M settlement is a separate claim from VA disability compensation. We're happy to discuss your specific situation.
Do I need to live in New York?+
No. We review claims from veterans across the country.
What does it cost?+
Nothing upfront. Contingency only. You owe nothing unless we recover.
How is my claim value determined?+
The settlement program evaluates claims by severity tier, documented injury (tinnitus versus measurable hearing loss), and the strength of your service and medical records. We help present the strongest possible file.
Do I need a VA disability rating to qualify?+
It helps but is not always required. A documented audiogram or medical record noting hearing loss or tinnitus during or after service can also support eligibility.
What branches of service are covered?+
CAEv2 plugs were issued across the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force, among others, from roughly 2003 through 2015. We confirm issuance based on your specific unit and deployment records.
Can family members file if a veteran has passed away?+
In some circumstances, a surviving spouse or estate representative may be able to pursue a claim. Call us to discuss the specific facts.
How long does the settlement claims process take?+
Timelines vary by claim category and how the settlement administrator is processing that wave of claims. We keep clients updated as the program moves through its stages.
I have both hearing loss and tinnitus. Does that increase my claim value?+
Documented hearing loss combined with tinnitus is generally treated more seriously within the settlement program's severity tiers than tinnitus alone, provided the audiometric evidence supports it.
Contact
Served between 2003 and 2015? Let's check your case.
Free, confidential review for veterans nationwide. Thank you for your service.
