On Friday, April 30, 2021, a local Pensacola jury handed down a verdict against corporate giant, 3M, after the jury found earplugs sold by 3M to the United States Military for use by service members were defectively designed.
Bryan Aylstock and Neil Overholtz, partners at the local Pensacola-based law firm, lead the trial against 3M. The Pensacola jury heard evidence from multiple witnesses, including 3M’s own corporate employees. After five long weeks, the jury awarded a combined verdict of nearly $7M to three Army veterans who suffered noise induced hearing injuries after using 3M’s Combat Arms version 2 earplug while serving our country.
“We are so thankful for the attentiveness and thoroughness of our local jurors and the opportunity to tell our Service Members’ stories to them. After taking in nearly 5 weeks of evidence, testimony and argument, they found for our soldiers. Their verdict sends a clear message to 3M that a contractor who sells personal protection devices to our military must be truthful, honest and forthright,” said Bryan Aylstock.
Aylstock, Witkin, Kreis & Overholtz, PLLC represent over 40,000 active and retired military service members of the nearly 250,000 total cases filed in Pensacola, FL in the multidistrict litigation in federal court presided over by local federal judge Honorable Margaret C. “Casey” Rodgers.
According to Neil Overholtz of Aylstock, Witkin, Kreis & Overholtz, “Growing up locally in the cradle of Navy Aviation and having parents who served as a civilian contractor and active service member, I am obviously very proud of our military. Today, our trial team had an opportunity to give back. After a long trial, the jury found the dual-ended combat arms earplug was defective and that 3M failed to warn the DoD.”
“Having this trial occur in Pensacola allowed these service members to be as at home here as 3M would have been in Minnesota or Indiana. The three veterans hearing damage was caused by 3Ms greed. The jury understood the military’s sense of duty and validated the impact of hearing damage on their lives. The values awarded reflect those injuries.” said Aylstock, Witkin, Kreis, & Overholtz, PLLC partner, Jennifer Hoekstra.
Contact: Jennifer Hoekstra, [email protected]
Case Number: 3:19-md-02885