Our Lawyers Are Reviewing NEC Baby Formula Lawsuits
Our lawyers at Alonso Krangle, LLP, are reviewing claims involving Similac baby formula and Enfamil infant formula. Lawsuits are being filed by families of premature infants who received these dangerous formulas while in the neonatal intensive care unit and died or suffered from necrotizing enterocolitis or NEC.
Cow-based baby formulas including Similac and Enfamil have been linked to NEC- a dangerous gastrointestinal disorder that can result in death. The lawsuits allege the companies that make these formulas knew that Similac or Enfamil could cause necrotizing enterocolitis and did not warn them, as the laws require.
If your baby was born premature and was diagnosed with NEC after getting Enfamil or Similac in the hospital, you might be entitled to file a lawsuit against the makers of these cow’s milk-based formulas. If successful, you could recover substantial compensation.
Let our baby formula lawyers help you collect the compensation you deserve if your premature baby suffered severe injuries or died as a result of NEC.
What is the Link Between Premature Babies, Baby Formula, and NEC?
When a baby is premature, they are usually in a weakened state. Preterm babies often have low birth weight and require help regulating their body temperature and blood pressure, at least until they reach full term.
Preterm infants often spend time in the neonatal intensive care unit’s NICU until they are strong enough to go home. They require around-the-clock care, which can include extra nutrition and medication to ensure they develop properly.
Many premature babies are unable to receive breastmilk because for various reasons. Often, it is logistically impossible under their medical circumstances. Therefore, premature babies tend to receive baby formula instead of breastmilk.
Many baby formulas, including Similac and Enfamil, are cow milk formulas, meaning cow’s milk is the basis of the formula. There are other nutrients and vitamins as well, which help the formula mimic the nutrients found in breast milk or “human milk.” For example, baby formula should contain an appropriate amount of fat, vitamin c, and iron in addition to cow’s milk. The combination of nutrients is supposed to make cow’s milk easier to digest.
However, there is research showing that giving babies cow’s milk any time before 12 months can cause digestive problems, kidney trouble and disrupt growth. Not all babies, even those born full-term, can tolerate milk-based infant formulas.
Specifically, research shows that cow-milk-based formulas like Similac and Enfamil can increase the risk that premature infants will develop NEC, an extremely dangerous and sometimes deadly digestive disease that destroys intestinal tissue.
Does Baby Formula Cause NEC?
Necrotizing enterocolitis occurs in approximately 10% of premature babies. It occurs less frequently in babies born at full term. Its cause is not completely understood.
Significant research shows that cow-milk-based formulas such as Similac and Enfamil significantly increase the risk of a premature baby developing NEC. Studies, including those published in 1990, 2000,2013, and 2017 support this finding.
The American Academy of Pediatrics and the US Surgeon General recommend that premature infants be fed only human milk, either their mother’s breast milk or donor breast milk, to avoid the risk of developing NEC or other potentially dangerous conditions.
When formula feeding is necessary, shouldn’t parents know about the potential risks associated with the formula? Surely the manufacturers of infant formula and hospitals have some joint responsibility to let parents know that they might be endangering the health of their newborn?
As baby formula NEC lawsuits are filed, we will find out if Abbott Laboratories, Mead Johnson Company, and any other defendants accept accountability for failing to warn people about the risks of feeding their premature infants cow’s milk formula.
What is Necrotizing Enterocolitis?
NEC develops when a bacterial infection breaks through the walls of the baby’s intestines. Without immediate treatment, it can quickly cause sepsis and death.
NEC can cause parts of the intestines to become inflamed or die. It usually starts as a local infection. Necrotizing enterocolitis, if left untreated or not treated quickly, can cause various adverse, possibly deadly, consequences, including:
- Necrosis (tissue or organ death)
- Sepsis infections
- Perforated intestines
- Abdominal infection and abdominal pain
- Feeding problems
- Developmental delays/growth failure
- Narrowing of the intestines
- Bowel disease
- Surgical removal or repair of intestines
- Death
Necrotizing enterocolitis allegedly causes death in 30% of the premature babies it affects. Babies who survive often face lifelong disabilities and injuries.
Has Similac or Enfamil Been Recalled?
No. Mead Johnson Nutrition Company makes Enfamil. Abbot Laboratories makes Similac. Neither company has recalled their products that are linked to the increased risk of necrotizing enterocolitis. These Similac and Enfamil products are still on the market and still being fed to premature babies in the hospital.
- Enfamil Premature Infant Formula 30 Cal with Iron
- Enfamil Premature Infant Formula 24 Cal with Iron
- Enfamil Premature Infant Formula 20 Cal with Iron
- Enfamil NeoPro EnfaCare Infant Formula
- Enfamil Premature Infant Formula 24 Cal High Protein
- Enfamil 24 Cal Infant Formula
- Enfamil Human Milk Fortifier (acidified liquid and powder)
- Similac Alimentum Expert Care
- Similac Human Milk Fortifier (which is actually a cow’s milk product)
- Similac Human Milk Fortifier Hydrolyzed Protein Concentrated Liquid
- Similac Liquid Protein Fortifier
- Similac NeoSure
- Similac Special Care 20
- Similac Special Care 24
- Similac Special Care 24 High Protein
- Similac Special Care 30
If your preterm infant received one of these formulas and was diagnosed with necrotizing enterocolitis, you might be entitled to file a lawsuit and collect compensation.
What Are The Claims Made By Baby Formula Lawsuits?
The baby formula lawsuits being filed against the makers of Similac and Enfamil contain various allegations. The primary allegation is that Abbott Laboratories and Mead Johnson Company, the makers of baby formula, have a duty to warn users of the risks associated with their formula.
The lawsuits claim that the makers of baby formula did not tell consumers that their formulas could cause their premature infants to develop necrotizing enterocolitis. By withholding this information, parents could not make informed decisions about what to feed their newborns.
The lawsuits also allege that the companies purposefully misled consumers into thinking the formula was safer than it was.
What Compensation Can You Collect in a Similac Lawsuit or Enfamil Lawsuit?
A successful lawsuit or settlement can provide many financial benefits to the families of victims of NEC. The failure to warn of the risks of Similac or Enfamil can result in compensation to cover:
- Drugs
- Medical bills
- Hospital bills
- Surgical costs
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Assistive medical devices
- Child care services
- Counseling
- Pain and suffering
The amount you can potentially recover depends on the specific facts of your case. Factors like the severity of the injuries, your actual medical expenses, the length of the injuries, and the amount of pain your child experienced can all be relevant.
Can You File an NEC Baby Formula Lawsuit?
Did your premature baby develop NEC after receiving baby formula in the hospital? If so, we can help you. Ask yourself some questions:
- Was your baby born prematurely?
- Was your child fed Similac or Enfamil in the NICU or hospital?
- Was your infant diagnosed with NEC?
- Did your infant die or require surgery to treat the NEC?
If the answer to these questions is “yes,” call Alonso Krangle, LLP, today to find out how we can help you collect compensation from the makers of Similac or Enfamil. Abbott Laboratories and Mead Johnson should be held accountable for failing to disclose the potentially deadly risks of their cow’s milk-based formulas.
Call Alonso Krangle, LLP, for a Free Evaluation of Your NEC Lawsuit
Our baby formula lawyers at Alonso Krangle, LLP, are offering free case evaluations to parents of preemies who developed the life-threatening condition NEC after getting formula in the hospital. Your free consultation comes with no risk.
Call us today at 800-403-6191 to find out if you can file an NEC baby formula lawsuit. We want to hear about your child’s experience in the NICU and the details of any severe injuries that resulted from a diagnosis of necrotizing enterocolitis.
Trust our law firm to help you collect the maximum amount of compensation allowed by law from the formula manufacturers who injured your baby. Call our baby formula NEC lawsuit attorneys today for your free case evaluation.