The two core eligibility requirements for the baby food heavy metals lawsuit are straightforward: (1) your child consumed one or more qualifying baby food brands during infancy, typically defined as the first 24 months of life, and (2) your child has been diagnosed with or shows signs of a neurodevelopmental condition linked to heavy metal exposure. The qualifying brands are Gerber, Beech-Nut, Earth’s Best Organic, HappyBABY, Parent’s Choice (Walmart), and Plum Organics. If your child was fed any combination of these brands as a primary or supplemental food source during infancy, the exposure element is likely met.

The qualifying diagnoses, in order of case strength, are: Autism Spectrum Disorder (strongest and highest-value cases); ADHD (strong causation science, high prevalence in plaintiff pool); specific learning disability (dyslexia, dyscalculia, processing disorders); general developmental delay or speech-language delay; and subclinical neurodevelopmental concerns documented by a physician. The diagnosis does not need to be new — children diagnosed years ago are eligible if the statute of limitations has not run (which, for minors in most states, it has not). You do not need a specific blood lead test or heavy metal panel, though such testing strengthens the case considerably.

One situation that requires special attention: if your child ate HappyBABY products, the claim must be pursued through Nurture Inc.’s bankruptcy estate process, not the standard MDL civil filing, because Nurture Inc. filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2022. Attorneys familiar with this litigation can navigate both tracks. Don’t let the bankruptcy filing discourage you — bankruptcy estate claims have their own deadlines and processes, and those deadlines may be approaching.