LOS
ANGELES, May 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The judge
overseeing the Baby Food Products Liability multidistrict
litigation (MDL 3101) appointed 19 lawyers on Thursday to lead the
litigation for plaintiffs who allege toxic heavy
metals in baby food caused children to develop autism spectrum
disorder (ASD) or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
(ADHD).
R. Brent Wisner, managing partner
at Wisner Baum, will co-lead the MDL with Aimee Wagstaff of the Wagstaff Law Firm. Wisner
Baum partner Monique Alarcon was
appointed Plaintiffs' Liaison Counsel, and Wisner Baum partner
Pedram Esfandiary was appointed to
the Plaintiff's Steering Committee (PSC).
Baby food lawsuits have been consolidated into a mass tort
before U.S. District Judge Jacqueline Scott
Corley for the Northern District of San Francisco.
"Ensuring the safety of baby food is paramount for our
children's well-being, and I am honored to lead this critical MDL,"
said Wisner, who argued for establishing the MDL before the U.S.
Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation in March. "The evidence
we've gathered over the past two years is compelling, and we are
prepared to present a robust case to secure justice for the
families affected. This litigation is not just about compensation;
it's about protecting the health and future of our children. When
food companies make billions selling food containing poison—food
that is simply unfit for human consumption, let alone a baby's
consumption—there needs to be accountability. This litigation is a
first step in dealing with a generation of babies that have been
poisoned and now face an epidemic of autism."
Wisner Baum represents thousands of children suffering from
autism and ADHD after exposure to dangerously high levels of
arsenic, lead, and mercury in baby foods.
Cases allege baby food companies knowingly sold —
and continue to sell — products tainted with heavy metals that can
cause brain damage that manifests as diagnoses of autism or
ADHD.
Additional attorneys named to the PSC are Timothy Jackson, Laura
Stemkowski, Anthony Russo,
William Sykes, Mary Raybon, Mark
DiCello, William Smith,
Madeleine Clavier, Diane Watkins,
Emily DeVuono, Joseph Masterman, Steven
Brady, Tracy Turner,
Tiffany Ellis and Alexandra Walsh.
"This tight-knit group of attorneys is chalk full of rockstars"
according to Wisner. "We have some of the sharpest legal minds in
the Plaintiffs' bar. These Defendants have no idea what's
coming."
The defendant companies in Case No. 3:24-md-03101-JSC include
Beech-Nut, Gerber, Hain Celestial
Group (Earth's Best Organic), Nurture (Happy Family Organics and
HappyBaby), Plum Organics, Sprout Foods (Sprout Organic Food), and
Walmart (Parent's Choice).
The judge's pretrial order can be downloaded here.
Wisner Baum is a Los
Angeles law firm that represents over 20,000
plaintiffs in a wide range of civil litigation. The firm has won
over $4 billion across all practice
areas, including mass torts, class action litigation,
commercial truck crash cases, pharmaceutical product
liability, and more.
Media Contact
Robin McCall
Director of Public Relations Wisner Baum
RMcCall@WisnerBaum.com
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SOURCE Wisner Baum