If your premature infant was fed Enfamil, Similac, or another cow’s milk-based formula or fortifier and later diagnosed with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), you may be eligible to file a lawsuit. This serious gastrointestinal condition can cause devastating and sometimes fatal complications for vulnerable newborns.
At Salenger, Sack, Kimmel & Bavaro, LLP, our legal team is reviewing claims nationwide and standing with families affected by NEC linked to infant formula. You may be entitled to financial compensation for your child’s suffering, medical expenses, or tragic loss.
Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a severe and often life-threatening condition that causes intestinal tissue to die. It typically affects premature and low-birth-weight infants with underdeveloped digestive systems. Babies with NEC may need one or more surgeries to remove dead or ruptured intestinal tissue. Sadly, some infants do not survive.
In serious cases, NEC can lead to gut perforation, short bowel syndrome, lifelong digestive complications, neurological damage, or death.
Multiple peer-reviewed studies have shown that cow’s milk-based baby formula significantly increases the risk of NEC in premature infants, especially when compared to breast milk or human-milk-based alternatives.
In one randomized study of 926 preterm infants, NEC was:
Despite this data, companies like Abbott Laboratories (Similac) and Mead Johnson (Enfamil) continue to market and distribute their cow’s milk-based products to neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) and hospitals across the country.
The following cow’s milk-based products have been named in NEC baby formula lawsuits:
These formulas are often labeled as “nutritionally equivalent” to breast milk and recommended for premature infants—despite the known risks.
As of July 2025, NEC lawsuits are expanding across multiple state and federal courts, including New York, California, Illinois, Missouri, and Pennsylvania. Over 550 lawsuits are part of the national multidistrict litigation (MDL), with plaintiffs now also filing individual claims against sales representatives who allegedly misrepresented product safety to hospitals and NICUs.
On March 14, 2024, a jury in Illinois awarded $60 million to the family of a premature infant who died of NEC after being fed Enfamil. This landmark verdict established legal precedent and momentum for families pursuing justice.
If your infant has been diagnosed with necrotizing enterocolitis, don’t wait to seek legal help.
Contact Salenger, Sack, Kimmel & Bavaro today for a FREE consultation.
Call (800) 675-8556 or contact us online to get started.
You may be eligible to file a claim if:
Even if your child survived, NEC often causes permanent damage requiring:
Of the 9,000 NEC cases diagnosed in the U.S. each year:
Families face enormous emotional, physical, and financial burdens. Filing a baby formula NEC lawsuit may help ease some of those burdens by securing justice and compensation.
If your NEC lawsuit is successful, you may recover damages for:
Salenger, Sack, Kimmel & Bavaro is committed to helping parents pursue justice against negligent manufacturers. We are currently reviewing NEC baby formula lawsuits nationwide and can assist you with:
If your child developed necrotizing enterocolitis after consuming Similac, Enfamil, or other cow’s milk-based formula products, you are not alone—and you don’t have to fight this battle alone.
Call us at (800) 675-8556 or contact us online for a free, confidential consultation. We’re here to help your family seek accountability and justice.