Thousands of British military veterans and current service members have launched legal action against the American manufacturing giant 3M, alleging that faulty ear protection supplied to the UK’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) caused life-altering hearing injuries. The case, which echoes a massive settlement with U.S. veterans just two years ago, has brought renewed scrutiny to the safety of equipment provided to those serving on the front lines.
At the heart of the controversy are the Combat Arms Earplugs Version 2 (V2), reversible ear protectors designed by 3M and distributed to British forces from 2003 until at least 2015. According to BBC and The Times, more than 400,000 sets of these earplugs were supplied over two decades for use during training and active service in conflict zones such as Afghanistan. The earplugs, meant to safeguard hearing while allowing soldiers to remain alert to commands and quieter sounds, are now alleged to have been defective—leaving many with conditions like tinnitus and permanent hearing loss.
Dave Watson, a former Guardsman with the 1st Battalion Scots Guards, is among the thousands now seeking redress. Watson, who lost both legs and an arm in an improvised explosive device blast in Helmand Province in 2010, recalled being issued the 3M earplugs and wearing them for up to 12 hours a day. “Anywhere outside of Camp Bastion we could have been using them, sometimes for up to 12 hours a day,” he told BBC. The earplugs, he said, often felt loose and did not fit properly. The consequences have been devastating. “People who used them are now struggling with tinnitus and deafness. Every day I am being woken up with the ringing in my ears and that goes on all day,” Watson explained. He added, “I can’t hear my kids when they are shouting me, I can’t hear my wife. It’s really bad on the family.”
Watson’s hearing problems began about 18 months ago, and he has since been told he will eventually need hearing aids. He is not alone. According to 2014 research by the Royal British Legion, rates of hearing problems among veterans under 75 are about 3.5 times higher than in the general population. The organization estimates that more than 300,000 British service personnel suffer from life-changing hearing difficulties. A 2021 King’s College London study of 5,474 military personnel found that a quarter reported difficulty hearing or tinnitus—a persistent ringing or pulsing in the ears that can be debilitating.
Carol Timone, a former lance bombardier who served in the British Army from 2008 to 2014, including a tour in Afghanistan in 2012, described the impact of the alleged earplug failures. “I’ve seen veterans failed so many times, and this is just another blow to them, so I feel like something needs to be done, and someone really does need to be held accountable for it,” she told BBC. Timone, now 33, suffers from hearing loss on one side and tinnitus, which she calls a “horrific whining or pulsing that just won’t go away.”
The legal action in the UK follows a similar saga in the United States. In 2023, 3M agreed to pay $6 billion (£4.5 billion) to settle claims from 240,000 American servicemen and women who alleged that the same earplugs were defective. However, the company did not admit liability, maintaining that the product was “safe and effective for its intended purpose” when used correctly. According to the Lawsuit Information Centre, about $2.75 billion (£2 billion) from that settlement has been paid out to date.
The design of the Combat Arms Earplugs V2 was, on paper, innovative. They were reversible: one side was meant to block out most sounds, while the other protected against sudden, loud noises like explosions, yet allowed in speech and softer sounds. However, a 2018 U.S. Department of Justice lawsuit alleged that the earplugs were too short and could “loosen imperceptibly,” reducing their effectiveness. 3M settled that suit for $9.1 million (£6.8 million), again without admitting fault.
In the UK, the first formal legal claim was launched in the week of September 30, 2025, with a “letter before action” sent to 3M on behalf of more than 2,000 veterans and current personnel. Tom Longstaff, a partner at KP Law representing the claimants, said, “We’ve got very strong evidence that this product was defective, [and] that it suffered from a design flaw, which is well-documented in some of the cases that have already proceeded in the US.”
3M, for its part, has reiterated its respect for the British Armed Forces and its commitment to safety. A company spokesperson stated, “The resolution of previous litigation in the US did not involve any admission of liability and 3M is prepared to defend itself in any litigation threatened in the English courts.”
The Ministry of Defence has also faced questions about its role in the saga. The MoD has paid out 6,735 damage claims for “noise-induced hearing loss” since 2019/2020, in addition to 520 awards through its no-fault compensation scheme, which does not require proof of negligence. A spokesperson said, “We always look at how we can reduce noise levels in their working environment [and] provide training, protective equipment and regular hearing tests. The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme [also] provides no-fault compensation to service personnel and veterans for injuries, illness and death caused by service.”
Earlier this month, Conservative MP Neil Shastri-Hurst called for an independent inquiry into the extent of hearing loss linked to the earplugs and other potentially defective equipment. The MoD declined to comment on the specific case against 3M but emphasized its commitment to the health and well-being of its personnel.
For Watson, Timone, and thousands of others, the outcome of the legal battle could have profound implications. Watson, who has won five medals at the Invictus Games and now works as a motivational speaker and for veterans’ charities, remains determined. “As yet, there’s been no justice and no compensation for British servicemen and women,” he said. The case has become a rallying point for advocates who argue that, after years of service and sacrifice, veterans deserve better protection—and accountability—when equipment fails them.
The coming months will test whether the British legal system can deliver the answers and support that so many veterans say they desperately need. As thousands await their day in court, the echoes of battle—literal and figurative—continue to ring in their ears.