Monsour Law Firm Wins Record-Breaking $22.5 Million Decision in 3M Earplug Litigation

Monsour Law Firm Logo
Thie is the logo for Monsour Law Firm, a Personal Injury Law Firm in Longview, Texas.

A federal jury in Florida awarded $22.5 million, the highest amount to date, to United States Army veteran Theodore Finley on Friday, Dec. 10, 2021. The Tallahassee jury found that earplugs designed by 3M Corporation caused Finley irreparable hearing damage.  

"The federal jury's decision on Dec. 10 shows that 3M are wholly responsible for failing our men and women in uniform and putting profits over the safety of Americans in uniform," said Douglas Monsour, lead counsel in the case. "Jury after jury is deciding that 3M provided faulty equipment to American soldiers, resulting in hearing loss and tinnitus. The justice system continues to show that 3M misled the federal government and the military to secure its contract on false grounds and this litigation is holding 3M accountable."

Theodore Finley served in the U.S. Army from 2006 to 2014 and was exposed to noise from mortars, machine guns, RPGs, mechanized vehicles, and aircraft while using the 3M earplugs. The verdict included compensatory damages in the amount of $7.5 million dollars and punitive damages in the amount of $15 million.

The Dec. 10 case is the eighth trial to reach a verdict related to 3M earplugs. In November 2021, a separate Florida federal jury awarded an Army sergeant $13 million for hearing loss from 3M earplugs. Four other cases have awarded a combined $29 million with juries siding with 3M in three other cases.

3M plaintiffs allege that the CAEv2 earplugs used by the United States military were defective and failed to protect against service-related tinnitus and hearing loss.

Monsour is the lead counsel of the Monsour Law Firm in Longview, Texas. Co-lead counsel was Neil Overholtz from Aylstock, Witkin, Kreis & Overholtz in Pensacola, Florida. 

Other lawyers assisting were Katy Krottinger of the Monsour Law Firm, Jennifer Hoekstra of Aylstock, Witkin, Kreis & Overholtz, and Andre Mura of Gibbs Law Group.

The case is Theodore Finley v. 3M Co. et al., case number 7:20-cv-00170, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida. Chief Judge Mark Walker of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida oversaw Finley's trial.

Contact: Katy Krottinger, katy@monsourlawfirm.com