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Similac Special Care Lawsuit

Similac Special Care Lawsuit

Lawsuits have been filed by the parents of premature babies who were fed Similac Special Care® Formula and died of Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC).

What You Can Do & How We Can Help

The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Similac Special Care Formula induced injury cases in all 50 states. If your premature baby was injured or died of NEC after being fed Similac Special Care, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Product Liability Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.

What is the Problem?

Similac Special Care® is a cow’s-milk-based infant formula that is specifically marketed for premature babies. Unfortunately, the label completely lacks warnings about Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC).

What is NEC?

Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC) is a severe, life-threatening intestinal disease that is far more common in premature babies who are fed cow’s-milk-based formula instead of human breast milk. NEC occurs when sudden, severe inflammation in the baby’s digestive system destroys parts of the intestinal wall. It often requires emergency surgery to remove parts of the intestines.

Similac Special Care Lawsuit Filed After Baby Dies of NEC

In January 2022, a Similac Special Care Lawsuit was filed against Abbott Laboratories by the mother of a premature baby boy who died of Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC) after being fed Similac Special Care Formula.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Eli H., a “newborn baby who died due to a horrific and deadly disease” that is linked to cow’s-milk-based infant formula and breastmilk fortifiers, such as Similac Special Care.

What Happened?

According to the lawsuit, Eli was born prematurely at 29 weeks gestation on November 27, 2019. At birth, he weighed just 2 lbs. 6.5 oz. After he was born, he was sent to the NICU, where his mother successfully pumped her own breast milk to feed her baby. The NICU also supplied donor breast milk when necessary to feed Eli.

Baby Dies After Being Fed Similac Special Care

Starting on December 20, Similac Special Care was added to his diet of breast milk and milk fortifier. Similac Special Care made up about 50% of his diet between December 20 and January 6, 2020.

Tragically, on January 6, 2020, baby Eli developed symptoms of Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC). He died the next day, on January 7.

At the time of his death, his parents were unaware that Similac Special Care “caused or ultimately contributed to his development of NEC and ultimately to his death,” according to the lawsuit.

Similac Lacks Warnings About NEC

Similac Special Care lack adequate warnings about the risk of NEC. The manufacturer, Abbott Laboratories, is accused of “passing off these deadly products as something similar to or even superior to human breast milk” — despite the fact that many studies have linked cow’s-milk-based formulas to dramatically higher rates of NEC compared to premature babies who are fed breast milk alone.

Studies Linking Baby Formula and NEC

As far back as 1990, a study on 926 infants found that NEC was six to ten times more common in exclusively formula-fed babies than babies who were fed breast milk alone.

In 2009, a study found that preterm babies who were exclusively fed human breast milk were 90% less likely to develop surgical NEC compared to babies fed a diet that included some cow’s-milk-based products.

Abbott Laboratories is accused of negligence for failing to warn doctors and parents about the risk of NEC from Similac Special Care.

The lawsuit was filed against Abbott Laboratories on January 22, 2022 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (Chicago Division) — Case Number 1:22-cv-00071.

Do I have a Similac Special Care Lawsuit?

The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Similac Special Care Formula induced injury cases in all 50 states. If your premature baby was injured or died of NEC after being fed Similac Special Care, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Product Liability Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.

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