Federal jury in Tallahassee awards $13 million to Army sergeant in 3M earplug lawsuit
A Texas Army sergeant was awarded $13 million in a federal lawsuit against 3M in which thousands of plaintiffs claim their earplugs used by the military were defective and caused severe hearing loss.
A federal jury in Tallahassee agreed in at least one case Monday, finding 3M 100% responsible for the hearing loss of Sgt. Guillermo Camarillo.
The damages paid to the 47-year-old, $816,000 in compensatory damages and $12.25 million in punitive damages, are the largest payout against 3M in the largest tort claim in the country.
In all 250,000 veterans and military personnel have filed lawsuits claiming the company’s CAEv2 combat earplugs were defective and caused hearing loss and/or tinnitus, or ringing in the ears.
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The end of Camarillo’s case, which was heard by U.S. District Chief Judge Mark Walker in the Northern District of Florida, comes shortly after a Pensacola jury found in favor of 3M in a case brought by Tennessee U.S. Army Veteran, Joseph Palanki, 50.
Jurors issued the Palanki verdict Friday.
Lawyers representing plaintiffs in the multi-jurisdictional lawsuit said in a joint statement to Reuters that Camarillorazo "successfully held 3M accountable for putting profits over the safety of those who served our nation."
In a separate statement on Friday's verdict, they said they had "deep respect and admiration" for Palanki and expressed confidence about future trials.
Based in Minnesota, 3M has maintained its standard-issue military earplugs, which it stopped selling in 2015, are safe.
In 2018, 3M agreed to pay the government $9.1 million to resolve allegations that it knowingly sold the CAEv2 to the military without ever disclosing serious design defects.
The settlement money went to the government, not individual service members or veterans, so thousands of them have filed individual lawsuits against 3M alleging the earplugs caused them to suffer hearing loss and ringing in their ears.
In a statement to Reuters, 3M said the verdict on Friday, "affirms our confidence in our case and shows that plaintiffs face significant challenges – not just here but in all the trials in this litigation – as each case must be proven on its own facts."
The cases resolved this week are among a series of bellwether trials, which are often used to resolve complex, multi-plaintiff, multi-jurisdictional claims. Plaintiffs have prevailed in four of seven bellwether cases in which $30 million has been paid out in damages. Three more trials are scheduled for this year.
Kevin Robinson of the Pensacola News Journal contributed. Contact Karl Etters at ketters@tallahassee.com or @KarlEtters on Twitter.
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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: 3M earplug lawsuit: Federal jury in Tallahassee rules in favor of Army sergeant
