Get Compensation for Necrotizing Enterocolitis
Should You File a Baby Formula NEC Lawsuit?
Necrotizing Enterocolitis is a painful, potentially life-threatening condition primarily suffered by premature babies. In 2021, a baby formula lawsuit was filed against the manufacturers of Enfamil and Similac by parents alleging that these formulas had caused their child to develop Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC). Since then, more parents have come forward to get justice for the harm done to their children by these products.
Neither Similac nor Enfamil alerted medical professionals or parents to the potential risk of NEC amongst premature babies fed their formulas.
If your baby developed NEC as a result of using baby formula, you may be eligible for financial compensation for both expenses and the suffering you’ve faced. Reach out to an experienced product liability attorney for help filing your baby formula lawsuit.
What Is Necrotizing Enterocolitis?
NEC is a life-threatening gastrointestinal disorder that causes infections and inflammation in the intestines of infants. This condition can eventually destroy the wall of the baby’s bowel, potentially leading to perforation of the intestine. In these cases, stool from the baby’s intestine can spill into their abdomen and cause overwhelming infection and death.
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How Serious is NEC?
NEC primarily affects premature infants with more than 90% of diagnosed cases being seen in babies born prematurely. Unfortunately, this means that, as the medical care and life expectancy of premature infants have improved, the cases of NEC have increased. Currently, NEC is the leading cause of death in hospitalized premature babies older than 2 weeks. Out of all babies diagnosed with NEC, between 15 and 40% die as a result of the condition.
What Are the Symptoms of NEC?
NEC can be incredibly dangerous, and that danger only increases over time. This makes watching for the signs of this condition in your baby especially important. The symptoms of NEC may develop gradually or suddenly, and may include all or some of the following:
Bloating
Diarrhea
Fluctuating body temperature
Unstable breathing
Difficulty eating
Blood in the stool
Lack of energy
Vomiting
Fluctuating blood pressure
Unstable heart rate
What Are the Long-Term Effects of NEC?
While treatment for NEC can save a baby’s life, it cannot cure them of the effects of the condition they’ve already sustained. Some of the potential long-term effects of NEC have been observed in up to 50% of infant survivors:
Growth problems
Developmental delays
Short bowel syndrome
Reduced neurodevelopment
Narrowing of the intestines
Abdominal infection
What Baby Formulas Have Been Involved in NEC Lawsuits?
One of the leading causes of NEC is the use of baby formula for premature infants, especially those in neonatal care units. Unfortunately, these formulas do not carry a warning stating this fact. As a result, the parents of infants affected by baby formula NEC are suing the manufacturers of that baby formula in order to get justice. These baby formulas are specifically designed for premature babies and have been linked to the development of NEC:
Similac
Enfamil
Because neither Similac nor Enfamil told medical professionals about the potential danger of their products, lawsuits seeking justice are being filed against the manufacturers, rather than the hospitals and doctors who used these formulas.
How Is Necrotizing Enterocolitis Diagnosed and Treated?
The successful treatment of NEC is dependent upon early detection, meaning misdiagnoses can be incredibly dangerous. In order to diagnose this condition, your infant’s doctor will need to run a number of diagnostic tests, possibly including blood tests and an abdominal X-ray.
The treatment for NEC can be particularly traumatic for both babies and their families. In order to treat, not cure, the condition, the doctor will carry out some version of the following procedure:
Stop all feedings
Insert a tube through the baby’s esophagus and stomach
Administer antibiotics
Regularly X-ray the abdomen to monitor gas patterns
If dead tissue is seen on the X-ray, a surgeon will remove that portion of the infant’s intestine
Do I Qualify for Necrotizing Enterocolitis Baby Formula Compensation?
There may be nothing more tragic than the avoidable death of an infant. As a parent, you should be able to trust in the safety of products designed and marketed for use by babies. Unfortunately, that trust can be abused by manufacturers wishing to profit off the care of infants.
If your baby developed Necrotizing Enterocolitis as a result of using baby formula, you may be eligible for complete compensation. An experienced product liability attorney like Bobby Garcia can help you fight to protect your rights and the rights of your child.