TopVerdict.com recently released its list of the Top 20 Plaintiff’s Jury Verdicts obtained in the United States in 2024, which ranked the $495 million verdict in the 2024 St. Louis, Missouri baby formula trial, Gill v. Abbott Laboratories, as the 14th largest financial plaintiff award.
In this bellwether trial, the plaintiff brought the claim on behalf of her minor child, who developed necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) after being given Similac’s and/or cow’s milk-based premature infant formula following her premature birth. The infant was forced to undergo extensive surgeries and continues to suffer long-term health consequences. The jury awarded the Gill family $95 million in compensatory damages and $400 million in punitive damages.
The plaintiff and her child were represented by the law firms of Stranch, Jennings & Garvey PLLC (SJ&G) and TorHoerman Law. SJ&G’s trial team included Hon. John (Jack) Garvey, a founding member of SJ&G and co-lead counsel for the lawsuit, along with founding member Mike Stewart, and attorneys Colleen Garvey, Janna Maples and Ellen Thomas.
Top Verdict is an online journal that publishes annual lists of the most significant financial recoveries achieved by U.S.-based attorneys and law firms for their clients. The list includes cases that were tried to a verdict before a state or federal jury in the United States.
The case also topped the list of Courtroom View Network’s Top 10 Most Impressive Plaintiff Verdicts of 2024.