Ex British soldiers take legal action - saying 'faulty' ear plugs have caused deafness
Thousands of veterans start court battle with 3M and Ministry of Defence
Thousands of British veterans are taking legal action after alleging that faulty ear plugs they were given in Afghanistan have resulted in them developing tinnitus and deafness.
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The military personnel were given the protection, which was made by US industrial giant 3M, from the Ministry of Defence, for the tours and training in the Middle East in the 2000s.
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It comes after 240,000 US veterans were awarded a share of $6bn (£4.5bn) by 3M in 2023, after they made claims, although the company said this was not an admission of guilt.
Nonetheless, British former servicemen and women are now poised to do the same, with complainants telling the BBC that the so-called fault has resulted in life-changing ear injuries.
"Anywhere outside of Camp Bastion we could have been using them, sometimes for up to 12 hours a day," Afghanistan veteran Dave Watson, who used the plugs from 2007, said.
The 38-year-old also lost his legs and right arm in combat in Helmand Province in 2010 and has since become a motivational speaker - and has also won Invictus Games medals.
He said the problems began 18 months ago and he has since been told by medics that he will likely need hearing aids in the future.
"I'd wake up in the early hours of the morning with a ringing in my ears, but I get it all through the day now,” he added.
"I can't hear when my kids are calling me, I can't hear when my wife is calling me, so it's had a big impact on my family life."
The 3M ear plugs were used from 2003 to 2015 and were designed to protect against blasting noises but also allow troops to hear spoken commands.
A lawyer heading up the case for the British veterans said: "We've got very strong evidence that this product was defective, [and] that it suffered from a design flaw, which is well-documented in some of the cases that have already proceeded in the US."
The Ministry of Defence has paid out 6,735 damage claims for veterans suffering hearing loss since 2019/20, according to BBC figures.
The ministry told LBC: “We take the health and wellbeing of our personnel seriously and always look at how we can reduce noise levels in their working environment. This is alongside providing training, protective equipment and regular hearing tests to detect any early signs of hearing loss, so action can be taken if necessary.
“The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme provides no-fault compensation to Service Personnel and veterans for injuries, illness and death caused by service.”
3M said: "3M has great respect for the British Armed Forces. We are proud of our commitment to keeping service members safe through the supply of 3M products and we take the allegations concerning our Combat Arms Earplug Version 2 seriously. When used properly, this product was safe and effective for its intended purpose.
"The resolution of previous litigation in the United States did not involve any admission of liability and 3M is prepared to defend itself in any litigation threatened in the English courts regarding that product."
