The Houston law firm of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Agosto & Aziz is hosting a press conference on Tuesday, January 22, 2019 at 12:00 p.m. (CST) to discuss the lawsuit.

Sgt. Rowe will be present at the press conference to answer questions with his legal team on January 22, 2019 at 12:00 p.m. (CST) at the law firm of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Agosto & Aziz, located at 800 Commerce Street, Houston, Texas 77002.

Houston attorneys Mo Aziz, of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Agosto & Aziz, and Andrew Cobos, of Bell Rose & Cobos, represent Sergeant Scott D. Rowe, a United States Army veteran, in a lawsuit against 3M Company.

The lawsuit focuses on 3M Company, manufacturer of the dual-ended Combat Arms™ earplugs issued to veterans who served in the U.S. Military between 2003 and 2015. The lawsuit alleges that 3M Company designed and manufactured the earplugs in a defective manner and failed to warn users of these defects or to provide proper instructions for their use, which has resulted in hearing loss, tinnitus (ringing or buzzing in the ears), and loss of balance in those who used 3M’s dual-ended Combat Arms™ earplugs during their military service.

Throughout his military career, Sgt. Rowe has been stationed at Fort Hood, Texas and Fort Lewis, Washington and was deployed to Iraq from 2003 to 2004 as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Like many other service members during this time frame, Sgt. Rowe was issued dual-ended Combat Arms™ earplugs by the U.S. Military while serving in Iraq, and as a result of using these defective earplugs during combat and training, Sgt. Rowe continues to suffer daily from tinnitus, hearing loss, and other damages.

Commenting on the lawsuit, Mr. Cobos, an Army veteran himself, stated, “It is reprehensible for a U.S. corporation, in this case 3M, to knowingly supply defective products to the U.S. Military. These service members are overseas, in Iraq and Afghanistan, putting their lives on the line. The last thing they should have to worry about is the adequacy of their equipment. As a platoon leader, I would frequently discuss with my soldiers the difference between a mistake of the heart and a mistake of the mind. A mistake of the mind is forgetting a radio frequency or plotting a wrong grid. But a mistake of the heart—lying, cheating, stealing—those are much worse, and such conduct cannot be tolerated. 3M’s conduct, putting service members’ lives and safety at stake for corporate profit, was a mistake of the heart of the worst variety. Such conduct will not be tolerated, and, mark my words, we will hold them accountable.”

Mr. Aziz also stated, “3M knew that the earplugs did not meet the specifications and design criteria of the military and instead of correcting the flaws it chose to conceal the problem.”

A copy of the Complaint and Jury Demand is enclosed.

For questions regarding the lawsuit, please contact Madison Kauffman at 713-222-7211 or by email at mkauffman@awtxlaw.com.

If you’ve served in the military between the years of 2003-2015 and/or you used these defective earplugs, you may be eligible to file action against 3M Company.  Find out if you qualify and join the fight.

Complaint and Jury Demand + Exhibit A on Scribd