What This Lawsuit Is About
Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a serious intestinal disease that mainly affects premature and low-birth-weight babies in the NICU. Lawsuits claim that Abbott and Mead Johnson knew their cow's-milk-based preterm products carried a higher NEC risk than human milk but did not warn families or hospitals. The companies deny the claims.
Federal cases are consolidated in a multidistrict litigation (MDL No. 3026) before Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer in the Northern District of Illinois, which had 844 pending cases as of October 1, 2026. Many more are in state courts; Abbott has said about 1,700 lawsuits are pending nationwide. Trials so far have produced mixed results, including large verdicts for families, defense wins, and reversals on appeal.
Partner law firms are reviewing claims on behalf of parents whose premature babies were fed a Similac or Enfamil preterm formula or human milk fortifier in the hospital and were later diagnosed with NEC, including cases where the baby died.
Latest Updates
844 cases pending in the federal MDL
The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation reported 844 cases pending in MDL No. 3026, with more than 1,000 filed since it began. The federal count has grown steadily through 2026, and new cases are also being filed in state courts.
Supreme Court asks for a response in Mead Johnson's appeal
Mead Johnson has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review an Illinois state-court ruling in the NEC litigation. The Court requested a response from the families, due October 30, 2026. It has not decided whether to take the case.
Mead Johnson wins the first federal jury trial
A Chicago federal jury found that Enfamil Premature did not cause the NEC of a baby born at 29 weeks, returning a defense verdict for Mead Johnson in the first federal bellwether trial.
Sources: Reuters (via WIXX), Sept. 1, 2026, Bloomberg, Aug. 31, 2026
Abbott agrees to a partial settlement of about $670 million
Abbott announced agreements totaling about $670 million that resolve the $495 million Gill verdict and NEC claims involving about 2,000 other infants, without admitting liability. Abbott said about 1,700 lawsuits remain. Mead Johnson has not announced a settlement, and there is no global settlement.
Sources: Abbott press release (SEC 8-K), Aug. 20, 2026, Reuters (via Carrier Management), Aug. 21, 2026
Missouri appeals court upholds a new trial in Whitfield
A Missouri appeals court affirmed the trial judge's order granting a new trial against Abbott and Mead Johnson, setting aside a 2024 defense verdict.
Source: HarrisMartin, Aug. 12, 2026
Seventh Circuit affirms Abbott's win in the first federal bellwether
The federal appeals court upheld summary judgment for Abbott in the Mar case, holding the family had not shown that a stronger warning on Similac Special Care would have changed the outcome.
Sources: Bloomberg Law, ISBA
Illinois appeals court reverses the $60 million Watson verdict
An Illinois appellate court reversed the first NEC jury verdict, against Mead Johnson, and ordered a new trial, ruling among other things that the duty to warn ran to the NICU doctors rather than the parents.
Sources: ISBA, HarrisMartin
Missouri appeals court upholds the $495 million Gill verdict
A Missouri appellate court affirmed the 2024 St. Louis verdict against Abbott. Abbott later resolved the case as part of its August 2026 settlement.
Sources: News Tribune, May 7, 2026, HarrisMartin
Chicago jury awards four families $70 million against Abbott
A Cook County jury awarded $53 million in compensatory damages and $17 million in punitive damages to four families in a state-court trial involving Similac preterm products. Abbott said it would appeal.
Federal health agencies issue a statement on preterm formula
The FDA, CDC, and NIH said human milk protects against NEC but that there is no conclusive evidence preterm formula causes it, and that formula remains part of standard care when human milk is not available. The companies rely heavily on this statement.
Sources: Contemporary Pediatrics, HPN Online
St. Louis jury awards $495 million against Abbott (Gill)
A jury awarded $95 million in compensatory and $400 million in punitive damages to the family of a girl born at 26 weeks who developed NEC after being fed Similac products.
Sources: HarrisMartin, First Alert 4, July 27, 2024
First NEC trial ends in a $60 million verdict against Mead Johnson
An Illinois jury awarded $60 million to the mother of a premature baby who died of NEC after being fed Enfamil preterm products. The verdict was reversed on appeal in 2026.
Federal cases consolidated in Chicago
The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation created MDL No. 3026 and sent federal NEC formula cases to Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer in the Northern District of Illinois.
Source: JPML transfer order
What happens next
More federal bellwether trials and state-court trials are expected, the Supreme Court will decide whether to hear Mead Johnson's appeal, and the claims not covered by Abbott's partial settlement continue. New claims are still being filed. Trial dates often change, and cases can settle at any time.
Who May Qualify
Partner law firms are generally reviewing claims from people who meet criteria like the following. Answering the questions on this page is the fastest way to find out.
- Your baby was born prematurely (before 37 weeks) or at a low birth weight
- In the hospital or NICU, your baby was fed a cow's-milk-based Similac or Enfamil preterm formula or human milk fortifier
- Your baby was later diagnosed with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC)
- The NEC required surgery or extended hospitalization, caused lasting complications, or resulted in death
Injuries and Conditions Being Reviewed
- Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC)
- Intestinal perforation
- Bowel resection surgery
- Short bowel syndrome
- Intestinal strictures
- Sepsis
- Developmental delays
- Wrongful death
Who Is Being Sued and Which Products
The defendants are Abbott Laboratories, maker of Similac, and Mead Johnson (owned by Reckitt), maker of Enfamil. The claims involve cow's-milk-based preterm formulas and human milk fortifiers used in hospitals and NICUs, not ordinary formula bought at a store. Products named in rulings and news coverage include:
- Similac Special Care (Abbott)
- Similac NeoSure (Abbott)
- Similac Human Milk Fortifier (Abbott)
- Enfamil Premature (Mead Johnson)
- Enfamil Human Milk Fortifier (Mead Johnson)
- EnfaCare (Mead Johnson)
What Is NEC?
Necrotizing enterocolitis is a disease in which the lining of the intestine becomes inflamed and its tissue can be damaged or die. It most often affects premature or seriously ill newborns, usually in the first weeks of life. According to the National Library of Medicine, risk factors include prematurity and formula feeding rather than breast milk.
Common signs include a swollen belly, bloody stools, feeding intolerance, vomiting, lethargy, and unstable temperature, breathing, or heart rate. Doctors diagnose NEC with abdominal X-rays and lab tests. Treatment involves stopping feeds, IV nutrition, and antibiotics, and severe cases need surgery to remove damaged bowel. NEC is life-threatening: the National Library of Medicine notes that up to 40% of affected babies die, and survivors can face short bowel syndrome, strictures, and other long-term problems.
What the Research Says About Formula and NEC
Studies have long found that premature babies fed human milk develop NEC less often than those fed formula. A 2024 Cochrane review of 11 trials found that feeding very preterm or low-birth-weight babies donor human milk instead of formula cut the risk of NEC roughly in half, and earlier studies reported even larger differences for exclusive formula feeding.
The companies dispute that their products cause NEC. In October 2024, the FDA, CDC, and NIH said there is no conclusive evidence that preterm formula causes NEC, and that formula remains an important option when human milk is not available. Whether a product caused a particular baby's NEC, and whether stronger warnings would have changed what happened, are the central questions the courts are deciding.
Settlements and Verdicts So Far
There is no global settlement. Reported results include:
- Abbott partial settlement of about $670 million (August 2026), covering the Gill case and about 2,000 other infants' claims
- $495 million verdict against Abbott (Gill, 2024), upheld on appeal and resolved in the settlement
- $70 million verdict against Abbott for four families in Chicago (April 2026), which Abbott said it would appeal
- $60 million verdict against Mead Johnson (Watson, 2024), reversed on appeal in 2026 with a new trial ordered
- Defense wins for Abbott in the first federal bellwether (affirmed in 2026) and for Mead Johnson in the first federal jury trial (August 2026)
Is There a Deadline to File?
Yes. Filing deadlines are set by state law and depend on where you live, the type of claim, and whether your baby survived. Many states pause the deadline for an injured child's own claim until age 18, but parents' claims and wrongful death claims often have their own, sometimes shorter, deadlines. Because a deadline may already be running, it is best to have your situation reviewed promptly.
- Case status
- Accepting claims nationwide
- Cost to you
- No fee unless the firm recovers for you
- Time limits
- Deadlines vary by state. Do not wait.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the NEC baby formula lawsuit?
Families claim Abbott (Similac) and Mead Johnson (Enfamil) did not warn parents and doctors that their cow's-milk-based preterm formulas and fortifiers raise the risk of NEC in premature babies. The companies deny the claims.
Is there an NEC formula settlement?
Abbott agreed to a partial settlement of about $670 million in August 2026 covering some claims. There is no global settlement, and Mead Johnson has not announced one.
How many NEC lawsuits are pending?
As of October 1, 2026, 844 cases were pending in the federal MDL. Abbott has said about 1,700 lawsuits are pending nationwide, including state courts.
Which formulas are involved?
Hospital preterm products such as Similac Special Care, Similac NeoSure, Similac Human Milk Fortifier, Enfamil Premature, Enfamil Human Milk Fortifier, and EnfaCare. The lawsuits are not about regular store-bought formula.
What is the largest NEC verdict?
A St. Louis jury awarded $495 million against Abbott in 2024. It was upheld on appeal and later resolved as part of Abbott's 2026 settlement.
Was the $60 million Enfamil verdict overturned?
Yes. An Illinois appeals court reversed it in June 2026 and ordered a new trial.
Does formula cause NEC?
That is disputed. Studies show human milk lowers NEC risk compared with formula, while federal health agencies said in 2024 there is no conclusive evidence formula causes NEC. Courts are weighing the evidence case by case.
What are the symptoms of NEC?
A swollen belly, bloody stools, feeding problems, vomiting, lethargy, and unstable temperature, breathing, or heart rate, usually in the first weeks of life.
Who can file an NEC lawsuit?
Generally, parents of a premature baby who was fed a Similac or Enfamil preterm formula or fortifier in the hospital and was diagnosed with NEC, including families whose baby died.
What if I do not have the hospital records?
That is common. If a firm takes your case, it can request your baby's medical and feeding records. You only need to know the basic facts to start.
Is there a deadline to file?
Yes. Deadlines vary by state and by type of claim, and wrongful death claims may have shorter deadlines. Have your situation reviewed as soon as possible.
How much is an NEC case worth?
No reliable per-case figure has been reported, and settlement amounts for individual families are confidential. Every case depends on its facts, and no outcome can be guaranteed.
How much does a case review cost?
Nothing. The review is free, and partner law firms typically work on a contingency fee basis, meaning they are paid only if they recover compensation for you.
References
- Necrotizing enterocolitis — MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine
- Formula versus donor breast milk for feeding preterm or low birth weight infants — Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2024
- Current Knowledge of Necrotizing Enterocolitis in Preterm Infants and the Impact of Different Types of Enteral Nutrition Product — Advances in Nutrition (PMC), 2017
- Outcomes and Costs of Surgical Treatments of Necrotizing Enterocolitis — Pediatrics (PMC), 2015
- In re: Abbott Laboratories, et al., Preterm Infant Nutrition Products Liability Litigation — transfer order — Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation, April 2022
- Abbott statement on preterm infant formula litigation — Abbott (SEC filing), August 20, 2026
