3M Corp, known for manufacturing and distribution of many products including medical and home cleaning supplies, is in hot water. The mega corporation is feeling the heat after an expert weighed in on current litigation. The litigation involves veterans who are suing the corporation after they were injured when using the company’s military earplugs. A consultant hired by the injured veterans expects 3M could face more than $100 billion in losses because of these lawsuits.
Why is the estimate so high?
The estimated payout is high because the earplugs caused injury to so many veterans. Recent estimates expect over 230,000 lawsuits related to these claims. The high number, along with the serious injury, can lead to large payouts for the victims.
Why should victims get payment?
Victims should hold the manufacturer accountable for three main reasons:
- Try to fix the problem. The manufacturer should fix the problem they caused. In these types of situations, that often means victims need to come forward and hold them financially responsible for the medical bills and rehabilitative costs that result from use of this faulty product.
- Hold the guilty party responsible for their mistake. The manufacturer made a mistake and failed to fix it — allowing servicemembers to continue to use a dangerous product. A lawsuit works to make sure they accept responsibility for their wrongdoing.
- Reduce the risk of similar mistakes. It is important that other corporations see that there are repercussions if they do not fix mistakes that can result in injury to their consumers. This will deter the risk of others making the same errors and better ensure big businesses provide quality products to their consumers.
Victims should not hesitate to make use of our country’s legal system if they were injured by this or another product.
Is it too late for a victim to come forward?
Many different factors can impact the answer to this question. Those who were injured due to use of 3M’s military earplugs should reach out to legal counsel to review their situation and discuss their options.
