Veterans have put their life on the line for fighting for the nation. However, many institutions across America, especially big companies and corporations do not take their issues seriously which is indeed sad.
Here is a case of a veteran who had to suffer from permanent and significant hearing loss because the 3M military earplugs did not work as per the claimed standards.
Veteran Suffers Significant Hearing Loss caused by 3M Military Earplugs
According to a news report published on 29th October 2019, by Fox 13 News in the their New Tampa Bay article, Mr. Joseph Simon, a recipient of purple heart badge of honor, claimed to have suffered from a permanent hearing loss which was due to the low quality of the 3M military earplugs, during his two deployments in Afghanistan.
Here is some background to the case. Mr. Simon enlisted in the army due to the September 11 terrorist attack on WTC and the Pentagon. Once he was deployed, his team would often get ambushed by terrorists and the ensuing gunfire would be very loud.
One of the vehicles that he was engaged with blasted, due to the detonation of an IED device. This led him to suffer several injuries. Here, My Simon claims that one of his injuries could have been prevented if he had high-quality military plugs. The bad quality of the 3M Military earplugs led to a lack of hearing acuity which is usually only found in geriatrics.
Thankfully, attorneys like Shamis and Gentile PA have handled all sorts of cases and a case like that of Mr. Simon is no challenge to them.
Tinnitus Makes Life Of Purple Heart Recipient Difficult.
Mr. Simon, who like the hundreds of veterans who were deployed for military service in Iraq and Afghanistan between 2003 and 2015, have had faced a hearing problem called tinnitus. According to a report by the well-reputed Mayo clinic, tinnitus is a condition where the patient hears many phantom sounds such as constant buzzing, ringing, humming or hissing.
Tinnitus can come and go and again come back or it can be a constant process where the patient’s hearing senses are repeatedly assaulted by these sounds. Tinnitus can also cause the person to lose their focus and concentration on various tasks.
Tinnitus is categorized by doctors as a symptom of hearing loss which occurs due to ear injury or aging. However, there are rare cases where it can be caused by problems in the circulatory system. There are a few treatments for this problem one of which is masking the noise which can trick the brain’s attention power.
Shamis & Gentile, P.A. fully understand the severity of any such medical condition and make sure that the complainant is compensated with a full amount in such cases.
Mr. Simon Files A $9.1 Million Case Against The 3M Company
As per the report published on 26th July 2018 in the MilitaryTimes.com, the 3M Company which has its headquarters in Minnesota had sold their Dual-ended Combat 3M Military Earplugs, product version 2 to the Defense Logistics Agency, which is the federal entity that procures military hardware for the armed forces. This allowed their product to bypass any quality issues.
The report stated that the 3M military earplugs would loosen over a period because of their small size. This led to a reduction in its noise cancellation capability.
Through the False Claims Act, The US Department of Justice brought forth the allegations made against 3M, where it alleged that the company was trying to profit from the military at the cost of its brave and gallant veterans.
Also, the Department Of Justice claimed that the 3M Company and its predecessor were fully aware of the fact that their earplugs were faulty and despite this knowledge, they continued to sell them to the armed forces without any disclosure of the truth.
It was only the effort of a whistleblower that the Department Of Justice recognized the issue and ordered 3M to pay a settlement of $9.1 million to the veteran in the case.
If you think justice is no longer the priority in America, Shamis & Gentile, P.A. is here to help you with your case.
