We are experienced Illinois lawyers for all types of birth injury related claims including those who are born early and suffer an injury after delivery. If you’d like to speak to an attorney for free, call us any time at 800-517-1614.  All calls are free and confidential.

Having a baby can stressful because it’s natural to worry about things that could go wrong. While most labors are “normal,” that is of course not always the case. Some babies have warning signs while in the uterus which caused doctors to recommend they be delivered early. Others just come early naturally.

Premature infants or preemies are known to have a lot of complications. Premature infants are more likely to have immature gastrointestinal systems, resulting in complications such as necrotizing enterocolitis, or NEC. This is a potentially severe condition in which the cells lining the bowel wall are injured/inflamed after the premature babies start feeding. Intestinal tissue gets inflamed, causing it to die.

Many babies fully recover, but others with NEC suffer from lifelong neurological and nutritional complications. Some even die from NEC.  Some preemies who end up with NEC and a bad result due so due to the negligence of doctors and hospitals and/or the products they give your child.

NEC rarely occurs before a baby has been fed. Extensive research has shown that premature babies fed cow milk-based baby formula were at a significantly higher risk of developing NEC than those fed breast milk exclusively. Babies fed a combination of breast milk and formula were also at an elevated risk for NEC compared to those fed breast milk exclusively.

Parents of babies afflicted with NEC have filed medical malpractice lawsuits against the doctors who prescribed cow milk-based baby formulas as well as the formula makesr (i.e., Similac and Enfamil). Currently an increasing number of parents of babies with NEC are filing product liability lawsuits against the formula companies for manufacturing toxic baby formula.

The lawsuits claim that Abbott Laboratories (Similac) and Mead Johnson & Company (Enfamil) knew or should have known about the potential risk associated with their formulas—specifically the component of cow’s milk that could cause NEC, sepsis, and other threats to premature infants.

The plaintiffs also claim that, despite warnings from trusted medical groups, the companies did not take action to learn more about the potential dangers of their products. The lawsuits additionally argue that Abbott Laboratories and Mead Johnson marketed their products as safe and beneficial for preemies despite the potential risks and did not include warnings about NEC as a side effect.

You may be eligible to start a NEC baby formula lawsuit if:
• Your baby was born prematurely;
• Your premature baby was given Enfamil or Similac in the hospital; and
• Your premature infant was diagnosed with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), sepsis, meningitis, bowel surgery/amputation, bacterial infection, abnormal bleeding, salmonella or death.

Becoming a plaintiff in a baby formula lawsuit may help you obtain compensation for the cost of your child’s past, present and future medical care, for pain and suffering, and for lost income/diminished earning potential.  If you believe you are eligible to join such a lawsuit, or even if you just want to ask a few questions about your situation, please contact us to speak with a lawyer for free. We will review your case to see what options you may have and connect you with the best attorney for your case.