3M N95 Mask Price Gouging
As the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic spreads across the United States, there has been an accompanying increase in demand for critical medical supplies such as protective face masks, ventilators, and personal cleaning products. This increased demand is fertile ground for bad actors that seek to profit by charging exorbitant prices on badly-needed supplies.
Price gouging during a health emergency is not just unethical—it’s also illegal. President Trump recently signed an executive order to prevent medical supply price gouging. And many states have their own laws that prohibit price gouging for major necessities.
Amid the coronavirus outbreak, Milberg is dedicated to protecting victims of price gouging by taking legal action against the responsible parties. To report an instance of medical supply price gouging, please contact us.
3M N95 Mask Price Gouging
According to the CDC, COVID-19 spreads mainly through person-to-person contact, specifically between people who are in close contact with one another and from respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
3M is one of the top U.S. medical supply producers. Its N95 masks—so named because they can block at least 95% of small airborne particles—are primarily used in industrial jobs and the healthcare system to protect workers from dust, small particles, microorganisms, body fluids, and particulate material.
Demand for 3M’s N95 masks has surged from the global coronavirus outbreak. Hospitals, municipalities, and governments are currently buying N95 masks at highly inflated prices due to shortages. On March 18, 2020, the U.S. Senate passed a bill that allows face mask producers to increase their supply output. 3M will now be able to produce over 420 million masks a year. Since the outbreak started, 3M has doubled its output of N95 masks. It has also designated 90% of them for healthcare workers.
However, there are reports of N95 masks being sold at exorbitant prices. Home improvement retailer Menards is accused of selling 3M respirator masks at $39.95 a pair. In New York, the U.S. epicenter of the coronavirus, N95 masks were allegedly selling for $7 instead of the usual 85 cents.
Take Legal Action Over Price Gouging
Milberg is investigating claims on behalf of hospitals, municipalities, and governments that paid excessively high prices on 3M masks, respirators, and other medical supplies during the COVID-19 outbreak. To discuss a possible instance of price gouging with an attorney, free of charge, please send us a message.
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