The record
Key facts
Fact 01
$6.01B — Earplug settlement, ~260,000 claims (Aug 2023)
Source: https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/29/business/3m-settlement-military-earplugs-lawsuits
Fact 02
10-6 — Bellwether record against 3M (plaintiff wins-losses)
Source: https://www.reuters.com/legal/
Fact 03
1976 — Year internal research showed PFOS accumulating in workers' blood
Source: https://theintercept.com/2018/07/31/3m-pfas-minnesota-pfoa-pfos/
The entity
Record
3M's earplug litigation became the largest mass tort in American history by claimant count: roughly 260,000 claims, 16 bellwether trials (plaintiffs won 10, with over $300 million awarded to 13 plaintiffs), and an August 2023 settlement of $6.01 billion — roughly $23,000 per claim on average. 3M shares closed about 5% higher on the announcement: markets price certainty.
On PFAS, Minnesota's lawsuit forced public release of internal documents showing 3M knew by 1976 that PFOS was accumulating in workers' blood, by 1978 that it killed monkeys in feeding studies, and by 1981 that it caused abnormalities in pregnant rats — none disclosed to regulators at the time. The company settled with Minnesota for $850 million in 2018 and agreed to a public-water-systems settlement announced in 2023.
The AFFF (firefighting foam) MDL remained the third-largest active docket at 15,244 cases as of July 2026, with PFAS coverage litigation between defendants and their insurers ongoing. Facts above are from court records, state releases, and verified reporting.
Public-record events
Timeline
| Date | Event | Record |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 29, 2023 | Settlement | Combat Arms earplug settlement: $6.01B for ~260,000 claims; shares close ~5% higher. ↗ |
| Jun 22, 2023 | Settlement | PFAS public-water-systems settlement announced (multi-billion, paid over years). ↗ |
| Feb 20, 2018 | Settlement | Minnesota v. 3M: $850M settlement; AG later releases the internal PFAS document set publicly. ↗ |
Sources & attribution