3M’s Aearo Faces Earplug Creditors’ Pushback on Mediation Tweaks

Veterans suing 3M Co.’s Aearo Technologies LLC for allegedly faulty combat earplugs are seeking to narrow Aearo’s latest attempts to influence their upcoming mediation.

Aearo, which has filed for Chapter 11 after veterans sued it and 3M with claims that the products failed to protect their hearing, wants to name Indianapolis bankruptcy Judge James M. Carr as a second mediator over talks to settle claims.

But a creditors committee representing the veterans urged the US Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Indiana—where Aearo filed its Chapter 11 case and Carr is a judge—to limit Carr’s participation only to ...