By Dhirendra Tripathi

Investing.com – 3M Company stock (NYSE:) traded 1.5% lower in Monday’s premarket following another adverse ruling in a case involving the use of company’s earplugs in the military.

A federal jury on Friday accepted a U.S. Army veteran’s plea that combat earplugs sold by 3M caused him to suffer hearing loss and tinnitus. The company must now pay $8.2million to the plaintiffs, according to the order.

These plugs are widely used by the U.S. Army, and other branches. They can block any noise that is inserted in one direction. In the opposite direction they will allow in sound from nearby but shield the ears from dangerous ballistic decibels.

The flexible cups protruding from your ear must be partially folded back in order for the earplugs’ to function properly. The plugs could become loose and allow noise to filter through if they were not folded back.

They claimed the company failed to disclose design flaws or test results. They were used by the Army from 2007 to 2013. 3M discontinued selling the earplugs in 2015.

3M stated to Reuters that it is “ready and available to defend ourselves against the allegations of plaintiffs at any upcoming trials.”

Aearo Technologies developed the earplugs, which 3M purchased in 2008.

In three prior trials, the jury had previously penalized the company by imposing fines on the company for using earplugs.