SARASOTA, Fla. – Bill Robertson, CEO and personal injury attorney with Kirk Pinkerton, PA, is pursuing legal claims against 3M to recover damages for veterans who received defective combat earplugs during their military tours.
In July 2018, 3M agreed to pay $9.1 million in response to resolve claims that the company manufactured and sold faulty, standard-issued Combat Arms Earplugs™ (CAEv2) to the military for more than a decade.
The trademarked, dual-ended earplugs were sold to the U.S. government between 2002-16. Allegedly, the dangerous design would loosen, allowing damaging sounds to enter the ear canal, causing permanent hearing loss and tinnitus to thousands. There is also evidence that the company knew that the product was faulty as far back as 2000.
The earplugs, which were originally manufactured by Aero Technologies but later acquired by 3M, were the exclusive product used by service members of the U.S. Marines, U.S. Army, U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, Libya and Syria, among other foreign conflicts. The product was discontinued in 2015.
Robertson, a Sarasota native, comes from an extensive military background and seeks to help those veterans, who may have hearing loss, tinnitus or loss of balance as a result of using these earplugs file individual claims against the manufacturer to recover damages.
“Our soldiers volunteer to stand in harm’s way for our freedom and deserve nothing but the finest protection against injury,” said Robertson. “They deserve nothing but the finest protection against injury. It is infuriating that 3M would knowingly produce millions of defective earplugs that would put thousands of soldiers at risk for hearing loss. We will fight for our nation’s heroes to recover the money they deserve to help heal their suffering.”
Working on contingency basis, those seeking damages will not incur any expenses unless compensation is recovered during the lawsuit. Robertson will provide veterans with a 10 percent discount on his fees.
“We are honored to represent our veterans in claims against 3M for those who thought they were properly protected but lost their hearing or had hearing damage as a result of these flawed earplugs,” said Robertson.”
Robertson was also heavily involved in helping Florida businesses and cities fight back after the BP oil spill. He has helped clients secure more than $30 million in damages after filing 115 claims for hotels, real estate firms and other businesses along with the cities of Sarasota and Bradenton Beach. He is representing the City of Sarasota as well in a lawsuit to recover damages related to the opioid epidemic against major pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors.
For more information, visit www.VeteranHearingLossLawsuit.com or call 941-374-9008.
About Kirk Pinkerton, PA
Kirk Pinkerton, P.A. has been serving Sarasota and Manatee counties with distinction since 1926, representing prominent clients and Sarasota pioneers like John Ringling. Since that time, the law firm has continued to provide clients with quality, results-driven legal services at the highest level. For more information, visit www.kirkpinkerton.com.
About Bill Robertson
Celebrating his 33rd year at Kirk Pinkerton, PA, Bill Robertson is a fifth-generation attorney in Sarasota. Continuing in the tradition started by his great-grandfather and grandfather, who opened their practice here in 1925, Robertson is the CEO of Kirk Pinkerton and a personal injury attorney and handles wrongful death and product liability cases. For the 16th year, he has received an AV Preeminent rating by Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings, the highest peer review rating in legal ability and ethical standards.