By Dhirendra Tripathi
Investing.com – 3M Company stock (NYSE:MMM) traded 1.5% lower in Monday’s premarket following another adverse ruling in a case involving the use of company’s earplugs in the military.
A federal jury on Friday accepted a U.S. Army veteran’s plea that combat earplugs sold by 3M caused him to suffer hearing loss and tinnitus. As per the order, the company now needs to pay the plaintiffs $8.2 million.
The plugs, used widely by the U.S. Army and other branches, were designed to block all noise if inserted in one direction, while in the opposite direction the plugs would let in nearby sound but still shield the ear from harmful ballistic decibels.
For the earplugs to work properly, the flexible cups on the side protruding from the ear sometimes had to be folded back. If not, the plugs would loosen and let the noise filter in.
The plaintiffs alleged the company hid design flaws, fudged test results and failed to provide clear instructions for their proper use. The Army employed the ear plugs from 2007 to 2013. 3M stopped selling them in 2015.
3M told Reuters it was "ready to defend ourselves against plaintiffs' allegations at all upcoming trials."
The earplugs were developed by Aearo Technologies, which 3M bought in 2008.
The jurors had penalized the company with fines in three previous trials involving the ear plugs.