Redcar Army vet joins lawsuit v US supplier of faulty earplugs
A former soldier who suffers from tinnitus and hearing loss today joined the UK’s first legal claim against the American PPE giant that supplied British troops with defective earplugs.
Lance corporal Rikki Drury, 40, a businessman and TikToker, from Redcar, North Yorkshire, used combat earplugs made by 3M during his 12 years as a driver and a bomb disposal specialist in the Army’s Royal Logistics Corps, including on operational tours in Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan.
‘3M just saw dollar signs’
3M “just saw dollar signs and didn’t really care” about the health and welfare of hundreds of thousands of British troops who its kit was meant to protect, said Rikki, who described discovering the earplugs were defective as “a kick in the guts.”
The British Legion estimates 300,000 people who served in Britain’s Army, Navy and Air Force used the earplugs in the belief they were protecting their hearing during active service and training.
Many of these men and women, some still serving, suffered life-changing hearing loss and hearing damage like tinnitus, and related issues including stress, anxiety and depression.
No win, now fee claim against 3M
Rikki, who now works across multiple projects including setting up Castle Court, a refuge for military veterans, is among a growing number of British troops joining a ‘no win, no fee’ claim by KP Law, a leading UK group action specialist seeking justice and compensation from 3M.
This is the first action against 3M in the UK courts. It comes after 3M set aside $6.1bn in 2023 to settle lawsuits from US military personnel. 3M supplied at least 400,000 sets of Combat Arms Earplugs V2 to the UK’s Military of Defence (MoD) between 2003 and 2023.
Rikki said: “Ever since training and serving in the Army, I have always had problems with the hearing in my right ear. I also get high-pitched ringing in my ears.
“I’ve had it that long I just thought it was normal. When you’re in high-stakes situations in Iraq or Afghanistan, the last thing you think about is your hearing. It’s only later on you think: ‘The MoD spent so much money on body armour, so why did they give us earplugs that didn’t work?’
“The truth is, the MoD will have trusted 3M, but 3M just saw dollar signs – and they didn’t really care about the troops using their faulty earplugs. It’s a real kick in the guts.”
‘Those affected deserve justice and compensation’
Tom Longstaff, partner and head of product liability at KP Law, said: “One of the British military’s core values is integrity. By supplying earplugs that were defective, 3M showed no integrity. This is another example of a large corporate taking advantage of the British public, this time at the expense of members of the Armed Forces. It is only right that the men and women whose lives have been impacted receive justice and compensation.”
Individuals who meet the following criteria are eligible to join KP Law’s class action lawsuit:
- Served in the armed forces
- Suffer from or suspect they suffer from hearing loss
- Used 3M Combat Arms Earplugs V2.
Some UK military personnel have already received compensation from the MoD after having suffered hearing loss or hearing damage while serving. Having previously received compensation from the MoD does not preclude someone from joining KP Law’s group action to seek justice from 3M. The two claims are entirely separate.
Veterans can sign up to the claim by going to www.3mclaims.co.uk
