Baltimore Injury Lawyer Blog
This page is about the Similac recall lawsuit from the recall that was announced on February 2022. Our lawyers are handling baby formula recall lawsuits NEC lawsuits in all 50 states.
There are more of these salmonella food poisoning claim out there from this recall than our attorneys had anticipated. Our law firm has received hundreds of calls from victims’ parents.
If you have a potential claim, reach out to our lawyers today.
ON THIS PAGE:
Similac Recall
FDA Investigation
Cronobacter Infections
Abbott Launches Recall
Recall Lawsuits
Recall Class Action
UPDATES:
November 2023: In Georgia, a lawsuit has been filed against Abbott Laboratories by two parents whose child fell seriously ill after consuming the company’s powdered baby formula, which they allege was contaminated with bacteria.
They claim Abbott knew of the contamination months before a recall was issued. Federal investigations into Abbott’s products had begun in February 2022, leading to a recall shortly after.
The lawsuit cites previous health department findings and FDA citations for safety violations at Abbott’s Michigan plant. The parents are suing for negligence, fraud, and other charges, amidst broader federal scrutiny and ongoing related litigation in Illinois federal court involving multiple parents.
Similac Recall
Abbott Laboratories announced the Similac recall along with other popular powdered infant formula products that were manufactured at the company’s plant in Sturgis, Michigan.
The recall stemmed from powdered products made at this facility that might be contaminated with a dangerous bacteria called Cronobacter sakazakii. This bacteria can pose a very serious risk to infants. There have been a half dozen reported cases of babies developing bacterial infections and being hospitalized as a result of the contaminated formulas.
Parents of infants who developed an infection from consuming contaminated powdered Similac formula can file a product liability lawsuit and receive financial compensation. The national product liability lawyers at Miller & Zois are now accepting contaminated Similac recall cases from parents of children who were injured by contaminated Similac.
FDA Investigation of Similac
Similac is one of the world’s leading brands of infant formula. Similac is manufactured by Abbott Laboratories. In February 2022, the Food and Drug Administration announced that it was initiating an investigation into potential bacteria contamination of powdered Similac products that were made at Abbott’s production facility in Sturgis, Michigan. The plant in Sturgis makes several different types of powdered Similac as well as lesser-known formula brands like Alimentum and EleCare.
The FDA investigation was launched after the agency received reports of four separate incidents of infant hospitalizations due to infection with Cronobacter sakazakii. An initial inquiry into the complaints quickly revealed that all 4 of the hospitalized babies were being fed with powdered Similac products made at the Abbott plant in Michigan. The infected infants came from three different states (Minnesota, Ohio, and Texas) and one of the infants died as a result of complications related to the infection.
The FDA issued an initial public announcement warning consumers to avoid buying or using any powdered infant formula products that were made at the Sturgis, Michigan plant. Investigators for the FDA launched onsite inspections of the Abbott plant in Sturgis amid took numerous environmental testing samples. Results from the initial testing samples \confirmed the presence of Cronobacter contamination at the facility. This led Abbott to announce the recall and lawyers to seek victims for a class action Similac recall lawsuit.
Cronobacter Infections in Infants
Cronobacter sakazakii (also known as Enterobacter sakazakii) is a type of bacteria that occurs naturally in various dry environments. Cronobacter is known to thrive in certain high-starch dry food mediums such as powdered milk, herbal teas, and powdered infant formulas. Cronobacter infections in adults are just a nuisance that only causes intestinal distress, diarrhea, and in some cases urinary tract infections.
For infants, however, Cronobacter infections are much more serious and can potentially be life-threatening. Very young babies have underdeveloped gastrointestinal systems that are less effective at curbing dangerous bacteria. In infants (particularly premature infants), Cronobacter infections can progress very rapidly develop into deadly systemic infections such as sepsis (an infection of the bloodstream) and meningitis (infection involving the brain and spinal cord).
Early symptoms of Cronobacter infection in infants are fever, lethargy and feeding difficulties. Cronobacter infections in babies are exceedingly rare, but those cases that do occur are almost always connected to contamination in powdered infant formula products. This is because powdered formula products like Similac are the ideal environment for the growth of Cronobacter germs.
Abbott Initiates Recall of Powdered Similac Products
Within 24 hours of the FDA’s public announcement regarding the investigation of the Sturgis, Michigan facility, Abbott Laboratories responded by launching a “voluntary” recall of all powdered formula products that were made at this particular plant. The Similac recall covered various powdered versions of Similac and some of Abbott’s secondary formula brands such as Alimentum, and EleCare formulas.
The powdered Similac products from the Sturgis facility covered by Abbott’s recall were distributed throughout the U.S. and to several international markets.
To facilitate the recall effort, Abbott created a Similac recall website to enable consumers to check whether their product is covered by the recall.
Contaminated Similac Recall Lawsuits
Product manufacturers are held strictly liable when they sell or distribute products that are contaminated and unreasonably dangerous to consumers. Abbott will be fully liable for any and all injuries resulting from its contaminated Similac and other formula brands from the plant in Michigan.
The national product liability lawyers at our firm have been tracking this situation and we are now actively seeking Similac recall cases from parents of infants who developed an infection after consuming powdered Similac (or other products).
If you fed recalled Similac to your infant and they subsequently developed a gastrointestinal infection resulting in hospitalization and serious physical symptoms, you may be eligible to file a Similac recall lawsuit. Plaintiffs who bring a successful Similac recall lawsuit can potentially recover damages for pain & suffering and medical expenses.
Similac Recall Class Action
There is not yet a class action or MDL for the Similac recall lawsuits, but if enough of these cases get filed they could potentially get consolidated into a “class action” MDL. If the Similac recall lawsuits are formed into a consolidated class action the litigation would follow a similar path as previous mass torts involving recalled consumer products. A judge would oversee a process of consolidated discovery for 1-2 years as additional lawsuits are added into the class action. Then a small sampling of representative cases would be selected for jury trials known as “bellwether” trials. The results of these bellwether trials would then be used to facilitate some type of global settlement in which Abbott agrees to pay a lump sum to resolve all pending cases.
Contact Us About Similac Recall Lawsuits
If you think you may qualify to file a Similac recall lawsuit, contact our product liability lawyers today at 800-553-8082 or contact us online.