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Main Street Law Firm is no longer accepting new Defective 3m Ear Plug cases.

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Other Military Cases:

Between 2003 and 2015, 3M manufactured the Dual-Ended Combat Arms™ Earplugs that were distributed to thousands of military personnel. In a recent settlement agreement with the United States Department of Justice, 3M agreed to pay $9.1 million to resolve allegations that they knowingly sold defective earplugs to the U.S. military. These settlement proceeds will not be distributed to military personnel. Our law firm, along with experienced referral law firm partners, are pursuing civil lawsuits to obtain compensation for hearing loss damages.

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Research has found evidence that links a common firefighting foam with the development of cancer in its users. Those that have been exposed to the dangerous chemicals by ingesting them orally, absorbing them through the skin, or inhaling them through the air are at risk of developing various types of cancer. If you are a veteran of a military base or a resident who lived near a military base and subsequently developed cancer from exposure to the firefighting foam, fill out our free case review to see if you are eligible for compensation without ever going to court.

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Other Military Cases:

If you or a loved one are a U.S. military service member, veteran, or military contractor who suffered injuries from certain explosive terrorist devices between 2003 and 2011, you may have a claim for significant damages without ever going to court and even if you are already receiving disability or other compensation.

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Research has found evidence that links a common firefighting foam with the development of cancer in its users. Those that have been exposed to the dangerous chemicals by ingesting them orally, absorbing them through the skin, or inhaling them through the air are at risk of developing various types of cancer. If you are a veteran of a military base or a resident who lived near a military base and subsequently developed cancer from exposure to the firefighting foam, fill out our free case review to see if you are eligible for compensation without ever going to court.

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Defective Devices

Bair Hugger Lawsuit

If you or a loved one developed a serious infection within one year of hip or knee surgery between 2014 and present that required additional surgical procedures to remove and clean or replace the hip or knee implant, you may be entitled to significant compensation without ever going to court.

What is a Bair Hugger?

The Bair Hugger is a forced air warming blanket system manufactured and sold by 3M. Medical personnel primarily use this disposable device to combat the risk of hypothermia in orthopedic surgeries, particularly nee and hip replacement surgery. Keeping the body at proper temperature has proven to reduce bleeding, speed up recovery time, and provide other benefits.

3M manufactures and sells the Bair Hugger system to thousands of hospitals all over the United States. Millions have been used in hospitals since the US Food and Drug Administration first approved the warming device in 1987.  

What’s the Problem with the Bair Hugger?

The Bair Hugger system pushes warm air through a hose into a blanket covering a patient. The device releases warm air over a patient’s body, but also releases air under the surgical table. Plaintiffs claim the system caused them to develop infections after undergoing surgical procedures.

Research published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery found that air circulated by a forced hot air warming blanket system contained 2,000 times more potentially contaminated particles when compared to air circulated by a similar device, greatly increasing the risk of infection. Patients may require additional surgeries to treat these infections. A patient may also require antibiotic therapy.  If a patient’s condition cannot tolerate subsequent surgeries, they may need to stay on long term antibiotic treatment. In the worst cases, patients may need joint fusion, device removal or even limb amputation.  

Back in 2010, Dr. Scott Augustine, the inventor of the Bair Hugger device, warned about potential problems with the system. He stated that the forced air released under the table had the potential to cause germs and bacteria to spread throughout the room, landing on a patient's surgical site.This could cause an infection in the patient’s hip or knee, such as sepsis andMethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Unfortunately, these infections are very difficult to treat when they occur deep in a patient's joint or tissue. For example, one woman claimed the Bair Hugger caused a drug-resistant infection that required her leg to be amputated.

Factors That Increase the Risk of Infections

Some of factors that increase the risk of infections after knee and hip replacement surgeries include:

  • Diabetes
  • Obesity
  • Immunosuppressive treatments such as chemotherapy
  • Peripheral vascular disease
  • Immune deficiencies, including HIV

Symptoms of An Infection

Early detection of a possible infection is critical. Some symptoms include:

  • Fatigue
  • Swellings
  • Warmth and wound redness
  • Wound drainage
  • Fevers and night sweats

You may be entitled to compensation

If you or a loved one developed a serious infection within one year of hip or knee surgery between 2014 and present that required additional surgical procedures to remove and clean or replace the hip or knee implant, you may be entitled to significant compensation without ever going to court.  Please complete our short (30second) intake and a legal professional will follow up with you to see if you have a case without any costs to you. If you don’t receive a recovery through a lawsuit or settlement, you don’t owe anything.

We only recover if you do.