Michael Doto News Today

The sum is about half the roughly $10 billion some financial analysts predicted 3M could end up paying over allegations that the earplugs didnt adequately protect the hearing of service members.

3M Co. has tentatively agreed to pay more than $5.5 billion to resolve over 300,000 lawsuits claiming it sold the U.S. military defective combat earplugs, people familiar with the deal said.

The settlement would avert a potentially much larger liability that 3M sought to curb through a controversial bankruptcy case that ultimately collapsed.

3M Co. has agreed to pay $6 billion to resolve hundreds of thousands of lawsuits alleging it sold defective earplugs to the US military that led to

Service members alleged 3M knew its earplugs were too short to work effectively. At least 300,000 lawsuits ensued.

The settlement would avert a potentially much larger liability that 3M sought to curb through a controversial bankruptcy case involving Indianapolis-based Aearo Technologies that ultimately collapsed.

3M Co. has tentatively agreed to pay more than $5.5 billion to resolve over 300,000 lawsuits claiming it sold the US military defective combat earplugs, people familiar with the deal

3M Co. has tentatively agreed to pay more than $5.5 billion to resolve over 300,000 lawsuits claiming it sold the US military defective combat earplugs, people familiar with the deal said.

Service members alleged 3M knew its earplugs were too short to work effectively. At least 300,000 lawsuits ensued.