Toxic Baby Food Lawsuits
As a parent, you trust that the products you give your baby are safe. Companies have a responsibility to protect consumers like you and your family, but what happens when these companies put profits over your baby’s safety? Shockingly, children are developing neurodevelopmental disorders after consuming baby products, many of which contain harmful substances such as heavy metals.
The product liability lawyers at Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. understand the pain and heartache parents experience when they learn that the products they believed were safe for their infant to consume are actually dangerous. Our compassionate legal team helps families hold careless companies accountable for their actions, aggressively pursuing justice and maximum compensation through toxic baby food lawsuits.
Toxic baby food may have changed your child’s life forever. Let our baby food lawyers in Chicago help you send a message to negligent manufacturers. Contact our office today and request a free consultation to discuss the specifics of your family’s situation with an experienced and compassionate attorney.
How Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. Can Help with Your Toxic Baby Food Lawsuit
Companies and manufacturers have a legal and moral obligation to ensure that the products they put on the shelves for your family are reasonably safe. When profits take precedence over people, companies may cut corners or skimp on safety protocols and inspections designed to protect consumers’ health and well-being. When this happens, the consequences for consumers can be devastating, especially for consumers without a voice of their own, such as infants and children.
Holding careless companies accountable for their actions can be a monumental undertaking. These entities have the time and resources to invest in defending themselves and protecting their profits. That’s where the product liability lawyers at Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. come in. We aren’t afraid of tackling challenging cases and standing up to protect the rights of parents and their children injured by toxic baby food laced with heavy metals and other contaminants.
Having recovered more than $3 billion in verdicts and settlements for our Illinois clients, our dedicated and diverse staff want to help you with your toxic baby food autism lawsuit by:
- Investigating the cause of your child’s neurodevelopmental disorder
- Gathering medical records and documentation
- Using evidence to help prove the link between your child’s medical conditions and an unreasonably dangerous baby food product
- Negotiating on your behalf for maximum compensation
- Filing a toxic baby food lawsuit when necessary and taking your case to trial
Product liability cases are highly technical and fact-driven. We have the resources and trial experience to advocate for you and your family. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your situation with an experienced attorney from our award-winning personal injury law firm.
The Link Between Heavy Metals in Baby Food and Developmental Disorders
Heavy metal is an umbrella term for a group of high-density elements. These elements include mercury, arsenic, lead, and cadmium. At high concentrations, these heavy metals can harm the health of living organisms and be toxic. Studies have shown that exposure to heavy metals can cause kidney and liver failure, neurological disorders, cardiovascular issues, and increase a person’s risk of developing some forms of cancer.
Infants and children face increased risks of heavy metal poisoning and the detrimental effects of these toxins because their bodies are still developing. Research suggests heavy metal exposure at a young age can contribute to the development of neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Heavy metals are neurotoxins that can interfere with normal brain and nerve development and growth. These toxins have a devastating effect on vulnerable children whose neural networks are still forming. Often, exposure to heavy metals can cause permanent damage in the brain, leading to cognitive defects, learning difficulties, and lifelong functional impairments.
What Toxic Heavy Metals Were Found in Baby Foods?
Recalls and investigations into several types of baby formula and food have revealed the presence of heavy metals in products intended for infants and children. Heavy metals present in formulas, juices, and contaminated baby food have been found to contain elevated levels of arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury.
How do these harmful heavy metals get into baby food? In some instances, the plants used to produce baby food are grown in soil contaminated with heavy metals. The plants absorb these metals from contaminated soil or water, which then make their way into baby food. Contamination from machinery, poor sanitation, or the processing and packaging of products can also leave traces of heavy metals in baby food.
Health Risks Associated with Toxic Heavy Metals
Unfortunately, significant exposure to heavy metals can cause a wide range of health risks and debilitating medical conditions. Heavy metals can disrupt vital cellular activities, interfering with growth, metabolism, neural development, and cell life cycles. Acute effects of heavy metal ingestion can include symptoms such as abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, and flu-like symptoms. In children, many of these initial symptoms are often dismissed as common childhood illnesses, such as colds or stomach bugs.
Long-term health risks associated with exposure to toxic heavy metals can include:
- Neurodevelopmental disorders
- Brain damage
- Kidney dysfunction
- Liver failure
- Cardiovascular conditions
- Reproductive damage
- Gastrointestinal dysfunction
- Immune system failure
- Thyroid issues
- Skin lesions
- Increased risk of cancer
- Death
Heavy metals bind to cells in the body, preventing them from performing their critical functions. The result can be body-wide damage that leads to the deterioration or improper function of internal organs. Heavy metal treatment can help prevent life-threatening symptoms. Still, untreated cases of heavy metal poisoning often lead to irreversible symptoms and medical conditions such as brain, kidney, and liver damage.
The problem with toxic heavy metals in baby food is that many parents are unaware their child has been exposed to high levels of heavy metals. Initial signs of exposure can mimic more common and benign conditions, so immediate treatment for heavy metal poisoning is not always initiated.
In 2025, Illinois lawmakers passed a law that prohibits manufacturers from selling, distributing, or offering baby food that contains toxic heavy metals exceeding the limits approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. SB0073 went into effect on January 1, 2026, requiring manufacturers to test samples of their final product on a monthly basis. The law also provides parents with information about the safety of their infants’ food.
Which Baby Food Brands Were Named in the Congressional Report?
A shocking 2021 Congressional report found high levels of toxic heavy metals in some of America’s most trusted and recognizable baby food brands. Baby food companies whose products are mentioned in the report include:
- Beech Nut
- Earth’s Best Organic
- Gerber
- HappyBaby
- Parents’ Choice (Walmart)
- Plum Organics (Campbell Soup Company)
- Sprout Organic Food (Sprout Food, Inc.)
Rice cereal and snack puffs were among the products found to contain elevated levels of heavy metals. Companies that manufacture and distribute these products, including Campbell, Walmart, and Sprout, did not cooperate during the investigation and refused to provide the requested data to Congress, raising concerns among several members that the companies were attempting to conceal information about toxic heavy metals in their products.
Since the troubling report, many families have come forward looking for help to hold these companies accountable for irreparably harming the health and safety of their children.
Who Is Eligible to File a Baby Food Lawsuit in Illinois?
Filing a lawsuit may be the best way to recover the money you need to care for your child and provide for their medical needs today and as they develop. It also sends a clear message to companies and baby food manufacturers that carelessness and disregard for children’s safety won’t be tolerated.
Eligibility to file a toxic baby food lawsuit depends on several factors. You may qualify if you can show that:
- Your child consumed food products contaminated with toxic heavy metals, and
- Your child was diagnosed with a neurodevelopmental disorder, such as autism spectrum disorder or ADHD, as a result of the toxic metal exposure.
Proving that heavy metals in baby food caused a neurodevelopmental disorder can feel like an uphill battle, which is why you must seek immediate legal representation. A knowledgeable baby food lawyer in Chicago can review your situation and determine whether you are eligible to pursue a claim through toxic baby food litigation. We also immediately start gathering and preserving evidence that can help link your child’s developmental issues to exposure to high levels of toxic heavy metals in baby food. Throughout the process, we can manage strict legal deadlines and provide your family with the necessary legal, medical, and emotional support to navigate this challenging time.
Contact Our Chicago Toxic Baby Food Lawyers for a Free Consultation
Parents only want to do what’s best for their children. Bringing a time-consuming and stressful legal battle against major baby food brands sounds like a daunting challenge that may distract you from giving your child the love and attention they so desperately need at this time. At Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C., we are committed to fighting for you, removing some of the anxiety and worry out of a legal battle. Our firm helps families in Chicago and throughout Illinois seek the justice and compensation they deserve while holding manufacturers accountable for their careless actions.
If your child has been diagnosed with a neurodevelopmental disorder and you suspect tainted baby food is to blame, contact our office today. We offer a free consultation to review your case and help you understand your legal options. We charge no fees unless we recover compensation for your family.
