If your premature baby was fed Similac or Enfamil in the NICU and was later diagnosed with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), you are not alone — and you may qualify to file an NEC lawsuit, and may be entitled to significant financial compensation. Across the United States, hundreds of families are filing NEC baby formula lawsuits against Abbott Laboratories (maker of Similac) and Mead Johnson (maker of Enfamil), alleging these companies knew the dangers of their cow’s milk-based infant formulas and chose to stay silent.
What Is Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC)?
Necrotizing enterocolitis is a devastating and potentially fatal gastrointestinal disease that primarily strikes premature infants. The condition causes severe inflammation of the intestinal tissue, which can progress to tissue death, intestinal perforation, life-threatening infection, and in the worst cases, the death of a child. Symptoms typically appear within the first two to six weeks of life and can escalate rapidly, leaving families with little time to react. Babies who survive NEC often face long-term consequences including short bowel syndrome, developmental delays, growth failure, and recurring abdominal infections — health challenges that can follow a child for a lifetime.
The Link Between Cow’s Milk Formula and NEC in Preemies
For decades, scientific research has demonstrated a troubling connection between cow’s milk-based infant formula and NEC in premature babies. Studies have shown that formula-fed premature infants are six to ten times more likely to develop NEC than those fed human breast milk. As far back as 2011, the U.S. Surgeon General acknowledged that formula feeding is associated with higher rates of NEC in vulnerable premature infants. The following year, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended that premature babies receive only human milk.
Despite this body of evidence, manufacturers of Similac Special Care and Enfamil Premature Formula continued marketing their products for use in NICUs without placing adequate warnings on labels or disclosing the elevated NEC risk to parents or healthcare providers. The core legal argument in these NEC formula lawsuits is straightforward: these companies had the knowledge and the duty to warn — and they failed.
Where the NEC Litigation Stands in 2026
The NEC baby formula litigation is active and advancing. More than 775 lawsuits are currently pending in the federal multidistrict litigation (MDL No. 3026) in the Northern District of Illinois. State court verdicts have already produced landmark results, including a $60 million verdict in Illinois in 2024 and a staggering $495 million verdict in Missouri. Additional bellwether trials — the test cases that help shape future settlements — are scheduled for August 2026, November 2026, and February 2027. Importantly, a federal judge has ruled that key expert witnesses for plaintiffs may testify, keeping the path to trial and potential settlements firmly open.
If your premature baby was fed cow’s milk-based formula in the hospital and subsequently diagnosed with NEC — whether the baby survived or tragically did not — the window to file a claim may still be open. You should speak with a qualified NEC lawsuit attorney as soon as possible to evaluate your options.
Why Choose Sullo & Sullo LLP to Fight for Your Family
At Sullo & Sullo LLP Attorneys at Law, we understand that no legal outcome can undo the trauma your family has endured — but accountability and compensation can provide a path forward. Our firm has extensive experience handling complex mass tort and product liability litigation, and we are currently accepting NEC baby formula cases. We take these cases on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay nothing unless we win. Our attorneys are aggressive, compassionate, and deeply committed to fighting for the families of premature infants who were harmed by the negligence of powerful corporations. If your baby developed necrotizing enterocolitis after being fed Similac or Enfamil, contact Sullo & Sullo LLP today for a free, confidential case evaluation. You deserve answers — and justice.
