3M News

U.S. Judge Bars 3M From Shifting Earplug Liability to Bankrupt Unit

A U.S. judge on Thursday [Dec. 22] barred 3M Co. from trying to avoid liability for injuries current and former U.S. military members sustained from its allegedly defective earplugs by shifting blame to a subsidiary. U.S. District Judge M. Casey …

3M Faces Claim in Netherlands Over ‘Forever Chemicals’ Pollution

The Netherlands’s government is exploring its legal options against chemical giant 3M over pollution in the Dutch part of the Scheldt River. For years, the company’s Antwerp, Belgium-based factory seeped contaminated groundwater into the Scheldt, a 350-kilometer (217-mile) river that …

California Sues Over ‘Forever Chemicals’ That Taint Water

A lawsuit filed by the state of California accuses 3M, Dupont and 16 smaller companies of covering up the harm caused to the environment and the public from chemicals manufactured by the firms that have over decades found their way …

Michigan Property Owners, 3M Settle PFAS Case for $54 Million

A judge has given tentative approval to a $54 million settlement involving 3M Co., a shoe manufacturer and property owners in western Michigan who said their land and wells were contaminated by toxic “forever chemicals.” The deal involves approximately 1,700 …

Viewpoint: Significant Ruling in PFAS Litigation Could Impact Insurance Coverage

Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS, have served as a key component in numerous industrial and consumer products for decades. These “forever chemicals,” which have been associated with environmental contamination and adverse health outcomes, have garnered steadily-growing attention …

3M Belgian Settlement Signals Increased Risk of ‘Toxic Torts’ in Europe

“Toxic torts,” which are lawsuits alleging damage to human health or the environment caused by specific substances, are increasingly common in the United States. They can cost defendants hundreds of millions, even billions of dollars. But such risks are no …

Veterans Seeking Earplug Damages Sue to Block 3M Healthcare Spinoff

Two U.S. military veterans on Thursday sued 3M Co. to block its planned spinoff of its healthcare business, which they called an illegal attempt to avoid compensating veterans for hearing damage caused by the company’s military-issue earplugs. The veterans said …

3M Bankruptcy Tactic Fails as Combat Earplug Suits Move to Trial

3M Co.’s plan to use controversial bankruptcy rules to shield itself from some 230,000 lawsuits over military earplugs looked like a relatively simple fix to a long-simmering problem that could cost it billions of dollars. Like most things that sound …

3M Awaits Bankruptcy Ruling That May Sink Litigation Tactic

3M Co.’s attempt to block jury trials of more than 230,000 lawsuits accusing it of harming US soldiers faces a key test this week in front of a federal judge in Indianapolis. US Bankruptcy Judge Jeffrey J. Graham is set …

3M Faces $100 Billion in Losses From Veterans’ Earplug Suits, Expert Says

3M Co. faces more than $100 billion in losses and bankruptcy because of lawsuits brought by veterans who blame their hearing problems on faulty earplugs, according to a litigation consultant hired by lawyers suing the industrial conglomerate. Initial results from …