Whenever a child is born prematurely, they typically require special care and attention for their dietary and nutritional needs. In hospitals, these infants are given cow milk-based baby formulas such as Similac and Enfamil as an additional source of nutrients to bolster their fragile immune systems. However, this practice has been shown to significantly increase a child’s risk of contracting necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a potentially fatal intestinal disease with serious implications. 

Countless families across the United States are taking the legal path against corporate giants such as Mead Johnson & Company and Abbott Laboratories, Inc. They are the leading manufacturers of Similac and Enfamil, who are marketing their cow’s milk-based formulas without any explicit warning about NEC in their labeling. Our lawyers at People for Law are there by your side to deal with the legal proceedings of toxic baby milk formula for families whose premature babies suffered or died from necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) after the formulas were fed. 

Current Updates in the NEC Baby Formula Lawsuit 

April 1, 2025 

In April 2025, the total pending cases in the NEC baby formula MDL increased to 683, with only 20 new lawsuits added in the previous month. Recently, there have been two big wins for the plaintiffs, one in Missouri with a $495 million win and another in Illinois with $60 million in compensation. However, with the defendant’s verdict now vacated due to trial misconduct, plaintiffs hold a perfect win record. More people are expected to file for the NEC formula lawsuit since the state court juries are taking the side of the plaintiffs. 

March 25, 2025

In the latest case, a family from Lexington, Oklahoma, is suing Mead after their premature son, B.H., developed NEC after being fed Enfamil in the NICU. The family filed a lawsuit in the NEC formula MDL in Illinois. They, too, lay out the familiar claims – Mead knew for decades that the feeding of Enfamil increases the risk of NEC in premature babies. Despite knowing this, the company marketed the product as a safe choice for babies, which is essential for their growth in hospitals. The complaints point to overwhelming scientific evidence linking cow milk-based formula to NEC and accuse Mead of failing to warn parents and doctors. 

B.H. suffered serious complications from NEC, requiring extensive medical interventions, and his family is seeking damages for the lasting harm. This case adds to the growing wave of families filing toxic baby milk formula lawsuits against Mead and Abbott for their role in this crisis. 

March 15, 2025 

A Missouri judge vacated the only jury verdict and cleared Abbott and Mead Johnson, ruling that the defense intentionally violated court orders to mislead jurors. The defense team never played a fair game, to begin with, in the court proceedings. The Judge Noble found that Abbott and Mead:

• The company falsely claimed that the plaintiff wanted all the baby milk formula banned, creating fear-based bias. 
• Used improper expert testimony and FDA arguments despite prior court rulings. 
• They exploited the mother’s marijuana use as proof to connect its link to her baby’s NEC. 

This ruling is a huge win for plaintiffs as it clearly shows that the court won’t tolerate defense misconduct. Thus, Abbott and Mead lost their only chance to victory. With previous court decisions resulting in nearly $500 million in damages, they are under a lot of pressure to stop dodging accountability and start warning parents about NEC risks.  

February 2025 

The defendants in the baby formula MDL have filed for summary judgment. If approved, this could end the litigation involving Similac and other Baby formulas in favor of the defendants. However, it is unclear if the court will side with them on the issue. Plaintiffs have been awarded massive verdicts in similar cases that have gone to trial in state court. 

January 2025 

Abbott Laboratories and other defendants in the Preterm Infant Nutrition MDL have moved to exclude Dr. Jennifer Sucre, an extremely highly qualified neonatologist, from presenting her opinions on the link between NEC and baby formula feeding. Somehow, the defenders tried to frame Dr.Sucre as unqualified, which shielded them from taking accountability. 

How do Our Lawyers at People for Law Help You During Toxic Baby Formula Lawsuit?

A qualified NEC baby formula lawyer guides families through this complex process and sees if they qualify to take legal action. 

Our lawyers can help you in the following ways – 

• Gather evidence to support your claim.
• File your baby formula NEC lawsuit. 
• Negotiate with the defendant to get maximum compensation 
• Represent you in a court of law. 

We fight for your rights so that you can focus on caring for your child while he/she is getting treatment for NEC.  

Final Reflections 

Parents trusted when they fed baby formulas containing Similac and Enfamil. Unfortunately,  manufacturers hid the risks of their cow milk formula products and continued marketing them aggressively. Countless families ended up filing for NEC lawsuits against Abbott and Meads and Johnson. In most cases, the plaintiffs won the trial, and the fight is still ongoing. There are significant changes, such as warnings on the labels of the baby formulas by the manufacturers, which were ignored previously. The fight is still ongoing, and it will continue till the families get the justice they deserve. Contact People for Law for a toxic baby formula lawsuit.