Texas Injury Lawyers Blog
You might be wondering what Necrotizing enterocolitis or NEC is. It is a common and severe intestinal condition among premature infants. It occurs when tissue in the large or small intestine is injured or inflamed. When the tissue gets damaged or inflamed, it may lead to the death of intestinal tissue and, sometimes, a hole (perforation) in the intestinal wall.
When an infant has NEC, the intestine can no longer hold waste. This may cause bacteria to find their way into the bloodstream and cause a deadly infection. In addition, waste could potentially enter into the infant’s abdomen and cause the infant to get critically ill. Because of all the damage sustained to the intestines, sections may die and need to get removed.
Symptoms of this potentially deadly disease include but are not limited to an unstable and low body temperature, apnea (pauses in breathing), being lethargic or less active, constipation, trouble feeding, and diarrhea.
How is NEC diagnosed? For infants that show symptoms of NEC, a diagnosis can be verified if irregular gas patterns show up on an X-ray. Irregular gas patterns may appear to look bubbly or streaky in the intestine walls. If the case is critical enough, air escapes from the intestine and appears in the large veins of the liver or the abdominal cavity. A doctor may stick a needle in the infant’s belly in order to withdraw fluid to see if a hole is present in the intestine.
What may cause this awful disease? Parents have alleged that certain baby formulas have caused their infants to get NEC. Some companies who manufacture baby formula have claimed that their product is safe and beneficial for infants while also being aware, or should’ve been aware of the risks their baby formulas had to infants getting NEC. Two of these companies are Similac and Enfamil. The manufacturer of Similac is Abbot Laboratories, and Enfamil is Mead Johnson. These two companies are currently facing lawsuits from parents whose infants have gotten NEC due to the baby formula products.
Parents trust companies to share the same care for their little ones as they do. But, sadly, many baby-product manufacturers put profit over the safety and health of babies. No lawyer or case can bring back a loved one’s health or change the past, but financial compensation can help reshape their future.
At our law firm, Carabin Shaw, we represent people and families in cases stemming from all types of product or drug defect lawsuits. Our dedicated and knowledgeable product liability attorneys have given those affected by these matters high-quality legal representation for close to three decades. Our lawyers at Carabin Shaw realize how challenging this time can be for the victims and their loved ones and strive to do everything in their power to make the process as simple as possible. To make sure you get the full compensation you deserve for any injuries you or a loved one has sustained, we diligently work day and night. Millions of dollars recovered for our clients is a result of our hard work, and we are proud to work in this area. Get in touch with our office for a confidential and free consultation at 800-862-1260. We won’t bill you for our services unless we can recover compensation on your behalf.