First Heavy Metals in Baby Food Trial Set for May 2, 2023
Baum Hedlund Trial Lawyers
First trial scheduled for May 2023 alleging heavy metals in baby food cause autism
— Melissa Cantabrana, mother of Noah
LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, November 2, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ — A baby food lawsuit alleging several of the country’s leading brands knowingly sell products that contain dangerous amounts of toxic heavy metals will go to trial on May 2, 2023.
Consumer attorneys Pedram Esfandiary and R. Brent Wisner from the law firm of Baum Hedlund Aristei & Goldman represent plaintiffs Melissa and Lorenzo Cantabrana in the case of N.C., a minor, v. Hain Celestial Group, Inc. et al., Superior Court for the State of California, County of Los Angeles (Case No. 21STCV22822).
The Cantabranas allege their minor son, Noah, was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) after consuming high quantities of baby food products from the following companies, which are named as defendants in the suit:
• Beech-Nut Nutrition Company of New York
• Gerber Products Company of Michigan
• Hain Celestial Group, Inc. (Earth’s Best Organic) of New York
• Nurture, Inc. (Happy Family Organics and HappyBABY) of New York
• Plum PBC (Plum Organics) of California
• Sprout Foods, Inc. of New Jersey
• Walmart, Inc. (Parent’s Choice) of Arkansas
According to the complaint, each of the defendant companies knowingly sells baby foods that contain dangerous levels of arsenic, lead, and mercury, exposure to which has “consistently been associated with autism and ADHD.” This is the first filed complaint related to heavy metals in baby food. It will also be the first baby food lawsuit to proceed to trial.
“We as parents have the right to know what is in the foods we give our kids,” says Melissa Cantabrana. “These companies deprived us of that right by not properly labeling their products to warn about the presence of heavy metals. It’s shameful and they need to be held accountable.”
“Studies have confirmed that exposure to heavy metals, even at low levels, can cause serious and irreversible neurological harm to young children,” says the Cantabrana’s attorney Pedram Esfandiary. “These companies know they are putting vulnerable children in harm’s way, but they don’t care enough to change their practices. We hope that holding the defendants accountable at trial will lead to necessary and long-overdue changes to the baby food manufacturing process.”
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that babies and young children exposed to toxic heavy metals suffer from permanent decreases in IQ, increased risk of future criminal and antisocial behavior, and untreatable, potentially permanent brain damage.
Attorneys Esfandiary and Wisner will present the following world-renowned experts in the areas of epidemiology, toxicology and neurology at the trial to testify regarding the association between exposure to heavy metals and ASD/ADHD:
• Dr. Michael Aschner (Harold and Muriel Block Endowed Chair and Professor of Molecular Pharmacology)
• Dr. Hannah Gardener (Epidemiologist, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine)
• Dr. Beate Ritz (Professor of Epidemiology, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health)
• Dr. Kevin Shapiro (Medical Director and Clinical Executive for Research and Therapeutic Technologies at Cortica Healthcare)
About Baum Hedlund
Baum Hedlund is an award-winning plaintiff’s firm that has earned some of the largest personal injury and wrongful death verdicts and settlements in recent history. The firm’s lead baby food lawyers, Pedram Esfandiary and R. Brent Wisner, represent thousands of parents in cases against baby food manufacturers. Both have considerable experience in high-stakes litigation having won multiple jury verdicts in product liability cases against Monsanto/Bayer worth over $2.3 billion in total.
The firm’s significant legal victories have earned major awards and recognition, including Law360’s Regional Powerhouse award and the Product Liability Practice Group of the Year. The National Law Journal has twice awarded Baum Hedlund attorneys the Elite Trial Lawyers Trial Team of the Year award. The firm’s attorneys have also been inducted into the Verdicts Hall of Fame.
Since 1973, Baum Hedlund has won more than $4 billion in verdicts and settlements for clients across all practice areas.
Robin McCall
Baum, Hedlund, Aristei & Goldman, PC
+1 310-207-3233
email us here
Visit us on social media:
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Other
Toxic Heavy Metals in Baby Food with trial lawyer Pedram Esfandiary
