3M Closes on Defective Earplug Litigation Spanning 390,000 Cases

Sept. 19, 2025, 9:19 PM UTC

Multidistrict litigation over 3M Co.'s combat earplugs known as one of the largest MDLs in American history came to an end Friday when a federal judge said no cases remained.

The MDL should be closed, Judge M. Casey Rodgers of the US District Court for the Northern District of Florida said. The judge made her recommendation to the US Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation.

The MDL involved more than 390,000 cases, according to the order. The lawsuits arose out of claims that 3Ms combat earplugs caused hearing loss and tinnitus in service members. During the MDL, 3M lost multiple test ...

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