The federal judge overseeing a mountain of military earplug litigation against 3M has ordered the company and plaintiffs to reacommence settlement talks.
The ruling comes after 3M failed last week to move resolution of more than 220,000 military earplug cases from a U.S. District Court in Florida to a bankruptcy court. Plaintiffs — all active or retired military members — claim the earplugs were defective, causing hearing damage.
Within 30 days, attorneys for 3M and plaintiffs must attend a multi-day mediation session held by a court-appointed special master, said a Tuesday order from Casey Rodgers, the U.S. District Court judge in northern Florida presiding over the military earplug lawsuits.
