Michigan Baby Formula Lawsuit Lawyer

A Michigan baby formula lawsuit lawyer can help if your baby was fed cow’s milk-based formula and suffered serious gastrointestinal problems. Prematurely born babies often need extra care and nutrition to support their developing bodies. Your baby may have been fed cow’s milk-based formula including Enfamil and Similac during their time in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) or upon their discharge at home to help supplement their diet.

Studies have shown that premature babies who are fed cow’s milk-based formulas are more likely to develop necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) than those who only receive human milk. NEC is a bowel disease that can cause a range of health problems including sepsis and even death, and may necessitate surgery.

Many parents and caregivers were never informed of the risk of NEC in premature infants associated with these cow’s milk-based formulas, and their manufacturers have failed to warn parents about the risks of NEC.

Buckfire Law’s top-rated attorneys provide free confidential case reviews if your premature baby was fed Enfamil or Similac and later suffered from necrotizing enterocolitis. Contact our baby formula attorneys today to start your case.

• What is Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC)?
• What are the Signs and Symptoms of NEC?
• Which Formulas Use Cow’s Milk?
• Can I Sue Enfamil and Similac?
• Contact a Baby Formula Lawyer

What is Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC)?

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a serious digestive disease that occurs primarily in premature babies and can cause inflammation of the intestinal lining, which can lead to serious infection or even death. In some cases, the inflamed intestinal wall is eventually eroded away, which allows bacteria to enter the intestinal tract and jeopardizes the health of the infant.

NEC usually occurs in infants who are born before 32 weeks gestation, and it develops between two to four weeks after birth.

NEC is the most common cause of gastrointestinal-related morbidity and mortality in the NICU, according to the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles.

What are the Signs and Symptoms of NEC?

The most obvious signs of NEC are swelling of the abdomen, and most signs occur within a few days to weeks. These include:

• Tender, swollen, or painful stomach
• Abdominal pressure
• Diarrhea
• Abnormal breathing, such as pauses
• Vomiting
• Bloody or dark stools
• Constipation
• Trouble feeding
• Low blood pressure

To diagnose NEC, a doctor may need to perform a blood test or fecal test or take an X-ray of the infant’s abdomen. The blood test checks for bacteria and white blood cell counts. The fecal test checks for blood in the baby’s poop that isn’t visible to the naked eye. The X-ray can show signs of NEC, including air bubbles around the intestine, and air bubbles can also indicate a damaged bowel.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, 1 in 4 babies with NEC will need to have part of the intestines removed due to dead tissue.

Which Baby Formulas Use Cow’s Milk?

Enfamil and Similac have no warnings about NEC as a side effect of their cow’s milk-based formulas, which include:

• Similac Special Care
• Similac Human Milk Fortifier
• Similac NeoSure
• Similac Alimentum
• Similac Special Care
• Enfamil Human Milk Fortifier Acidified Liquid
• Enfamil Powder
• Similac Special Care 30
• Enfamil NeuroPro Enfacare
• Enfamil Premature 20 Cal
• Enfamil Premature 24 Cal
• Enfamil Premature 30 Cal
• Enfamil 24 and DHA & ARA Supplement

Some premature infants are fed formula as their main source of nutrition, and some are fed their mother’s breast milk, or donor milk, and use formula as a fortifier.

Baby Formula Sales Statistics

In 2016, Mead Johnson, who manufacturers Enfamil, sold 74.9 million units of baby formula in the United States, while Abbott, who manufacturers Similac, sold 77 million units of baby formula.

Can I Sue Enfamil and Similac?

Abbott and Mead Johnson, the manufacturers of Enfamil and Similac, are currently facing multiple lawsuits filed by parents whose infants developed NEC.

The manufacturers are being accused of failing to warn caregivers of potential gastrointestinal risks associated with cow’s milk-based formulas. Despite studies from the past decade, including one from 1990 showing NEC was 10 times more likely in premature infants, manufacturers failed to warn caregivers and medical providers about the risk.

If your premature infant developed necrotizing enterocolitis from cow’s milk-based formula, you may be entitled to compensation.

How Much are Baby Formula Lawsuit Settlements?

There have not been any baby formula lawsuit settlements to date.  Litigation has been filed and these claims are being aggressively pursued.

Settlements may include money compensation for pain and suffering, medical expenses, and other needs of the child and parents.

Contact a Baby Formula Lawyer

If your premature baby was given Similac, Enfamil, or another cow’s milk-based formula while in the neonatal intensive care unit, or after they were discharged from the hospital, and they developed necrotizing enterocolitis, contact Buckfire Law today. You may be eligible for compensation.

Call our baby formula lawsuit lawyers today for your free case review. We charge no fees unless we win.

References and Resources

Cleveland Clinic
National Library of Medicine
Healthy Children