A Cook County jury awarded $70 million to four families in a lawsuit against Abbott Laboratories, finding that the company’s cow’s-milk-based infant formula played a role in causing a serious intestinal condition in premature infants. The verdict, delivered in Cook Circuit Court, included $53 million in compensatory damages and $17 million in punitive damages.

The families’ lawsuit centered on Abbott’s Similac formula, which they argued led to the development of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in their premature children. NEC is a severe intestinal disease primarily affecting premature infants, characterized by inflammation, tissue death, and possible perforation of the intestines. The condition often requires emergency surgery and can be fatal.

Legal representatives for the families contended that Abbott had knowledge of the increased risk of NEC associated with cow’s-milk-based formulas but failed to adequately warn parents and healthcare providers. “This verdict reveals the truth that Abbott hid from the public: Cow’s-milk-based baby formula causes NEC in premature infants,” said Sean Grimsley, the attorney representing the families. He added that while no financial award could undo the harm suffered, the verdict offers "a measure of justice."

The infants involved in the case were reportedly fed the formula while receiving care in neonatal intensive care units, and the families said their children experienced severe and lasting complications due to the illness.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of one of the families by Antonia Mendez and is part of a broader wave of litigation across the United States targeting manufacturers of cow’s-milk-based infant formulas over alleged links to NEC in premature babies.

Abbott Laboratories, headquartered in Abbott Park, Illinois, with offices in Chicago’s Willis Tower, is among the largest producers of infant formula nationally. The company did not respond to requests for comment regarding the verdict and allegations.

The case highlights ongoing concerns about the safety of infant nutrition products and the responsibilities of manufacturers to disclose potential risks, particularly for vulnerable populations such as premature infants.