Naval Flight Deck Workers Also Experienced Hearing Damage Due To Defective 3M Earplugs

Army Earplug Lawsuit News

Working on the flight deck of a US Aircraft Carrier can be as dangerous as being engaged in combat when hearing loss is considered

Wednesday, March 11, 2020 - Working on the flight deck of a US Aircraft Carrier is one of the most dangerous and hazardous of any military occupation and the hearing loss the work causes leads to more military disability filings than any other occupation except for actual combat. Navy flight deck personnel are required to wear hearing protection but, as others have found, the faulty earplugs manufactured by 3M either did not fit properly or service members were not properly instructed as to their use. The primary occupation aboard an aircraft carrier is that of the flight deck crew and the loudness of working at such a job is second only to that of a jet taking off. Failing to wear proper ear protection when working as a member of a flight crew can result in immediate and painful eardrum rupture according to Perdue.edu in a report that ranks the decibel exposure of various occupations. The decibel level exposure on the flight deck of a carrier is well-above the average human pain threshold. Army Earplug lawsuit lawyers offer a no obligation and free consultation before filing a lawsuit claim.

Navy veteran Sandra Burbano is among the thousands of military personnel that has experienced severe hearing damage caused by the malfunctioning of her standard issued hearing protection equipment, the 3M Dual-Sided Combat Earplug. Burbano told reporters that the device failed to properly fit her and allowed loud, continuous flight deck noise to enter deep into the ear canal and destroy her hearing. Ms. Burbano was deployed abroad on an aircraft carrier flight deck from 2004 to 2013. Sandra, now 41 years old, has difficulty holding a normal conversation as unknown tinnitus-related noises will at times suddenly blackout normal sounds causing her to fail to hear words others have said to her. According to an interview she gave to NBC Miami.com, Sandra told reporters: "It's just all of a sudden I can be watching TV, I can be talking, I can be driving the car and you hear that beep. Some people have claimed that they talk to me. It's just I don't hear them. It's (working on a flight deck) very loud."

Another U.S. Navy veteran claims to have suffered hearing damage from standard-issue, 3M Combat Arms earplugs that were defective. Not only did the earplugs not work but naval personnel like himself were led to believe that they would be effective. Octavio Irizarry alleges in a lawsuit filed in the state of Florida that 3M corp, "knowingly sold the U.S. government dual-ended military earplugs that were defective," according to About Lawsuits.com. Irizarry, who served in the U.S. Navy from 1998 until 2007, and other soldiers were instructed that the earplugs in question would protect against hearing loss from firing battleship cannons, missiles, and other explosive devices. About Lawsuits reports that Irizarry's lawsuit alleges "3M knew of the problems with the earplugs, and tried to hide them through deceptive product testing. These test results convinced the U.S. military to use the defective earplugs throughout all branches." Lawsuits seek compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and the pain and suffering of having to live a life without being able to hear.

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