Ultra-processed foods don’t refer to simple homemade meals with a few additional ingredients.
No, this is about ready-to-eat factory-made products. Created solely with one goal in mind: to make them as cheap, shelf-stable and delicious (addictively so) as possible.
Chip in a bag? Cookies in a packet? Soda in a can?
Ever stop and think about why you can’t resist the bag of chips or the sugary soft drink when you’re peckish? It’s not by accident. They are formulated to be addictive. Loaded with artificial flavor enhancers, unhealthy fats, and loads of sugar or salt, while real ingredients are either stripped or replaced with processed, cheaper alternatives.
Here’s a list of some of the most common types of ultra-processed foods you’ll encounter:
- Sweetened breakfast cereals
- Frozen meals
- Soda and energy drinks
- Packaged snacks (chips, crackers, cookies)
- Processed meats (hot dogs, deli slices)
- Instant noodles
- Flavored yogurts
- Protein” bars (many of them are ultra-processed too!)
OK, so they’re convenient. You can have them any time of day, any day of the year. But what’s the catch?
The Health Risks Are Serious
Ultra-processed foods are making people sick. Not just in a “gaining a few pounds” way, but in a legitimately life-threatening way.
- Fatty Liver Disease: When your liver has to process all those trans-fats, excessive sugar, and artificial ingredients, it goes into overdrive. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is on the rise, and ultra-processed foods are a prime suspect.
- Type 2 Diabetes: Frequent blood sugar spikes = a body that can’t keep up. It gets to a point where your body can’t produce enough insulin to keep your blood sugar levels in check and diabetes sets in.
- Obesity: And in children, especially. Research has linked children’s consumption of ultra-processed foods to a significant increase in the risk of obesity – and not just in childhood. Childhood obesity has become a severe epidemic as these children grow up to become adults with a lifetime of health challenges.
- Heart Disease: Heart health is no exception, with several studies highlighting a substantially increased risk of heart issues and stroke in heavy consumers of UPFs.
- Depression, Anxiety, and Cognitive Decline: Mental health takes a hit too. There’s growing evidence that a diet rich in ultra-processed foods is associated with a higher risk of depression, anxiety, and even cognitive decline.
- Premature Death: It adds up to an increased risk of dying early from various causes. The most extensive study found that individuals who consumed the most ultra-processed foods had a 15% higher risk of death, while those who ate the least had a 13% lower risk.
The Lawsuit in a Nutshell
The first major lawsuit, filed by a teenager named Bryce Martinez, is a wake-up call. At just 16, he was diagnosed with both type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Well, as it turns out, it’s the tip of the iceberg.
In the past few months, we have seen lawsuits pop up across the country with a clear pattern emerging.
Cases involving teenagers and young adults who have developed serious health conditions linked to the consumption of ultra-processed foods. Fatty liver disease. Diabetes. Cardiovascular issues. In most cases, these young people have turned to diets primarily consisting of packaged, pre-processed foods for years.
The manufacturers aggressively market these foods to children, ensuring kids and their families are hooked early.
Not only are they addictive (processed sugar, fats, salts, additives), but they are presented as fun, exciting, and affordable. They’re everywhere you turn. Problem is, we were never told the serious potential side effects of these foods. The end result? People becoming very ill.
Ultra Processed Foods Lawsuit Eligibility and Potential Claims
But enough about other people. If you are reading this and it sounds like your family and your child, this may be you.
Could you be eligible to claim?
If so, how much might you get? What can the claim cover?
Ultra Processed Foods Lawsuit Eligibility
You or your child may be eligible to file a lawsuit if:
- You have been diagnosed with a health condition associated with ultra-processed foods. (Such as diabetes, fatty liver disease, obesity, heart problems)
- Your diet has for many years been ultra-processed. We mean years and years of consuming lots of packaged, pre-processed products.
- You feel the manufacturers did not warn you of the potential health risks of their products.
Parents of children who have developed obesity or other illnesses due to their consumption of ultra-processed foods are also eligible to make claims.
Bear in mind that the law in each State will vary somewhat. Each is different in the specifics of who and how they allow people to file lawsuits. In general, though, the concept is the same. Seeking to hold the manufacturers responsible for the alleged damage their products cause.
Ultra Processed Foods Lawsuit Compensation
If successful, you or your child could be awarded significant compensation from the manufacturers. Exact figures will vary, of course, but successful cases have awarded compensation ranging from $20,000 to over $250,000.
The funds can be used for:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Ongoing care and/or medication
- Loss of wages if the illness has prevented you from working
- Emotional distress, especially for parents whose children have become severely ill.
For the record, these lawsuits aren’t about cashing in and living a life of luxury. No one is expecting that. It’s about getting justice. About holding these big, multinational corporations to account and forcing them to change their ways.
The Battle Isn’t Over
In case you’re thinking that this is all a bit of a grey area: Well, it’s not.
The 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee reviewed the issue last year and have essentially confirmed that ultra-processed foods are bad for you.
Substantial research has been published in peer-reviewed journals on the topic such as JAMA and The Lancet. Again, the conclusion is clear. There is a significant correlation between ultra-processed foods and chronic disease.
The science community is at last calling for the kind of wholesale changes to our food system that are needed.
If you or your family has been affected, now is the time to speak out. You could be entitled to compensation and, in doing so, you could help protect others.
Take the next step by visiting the intake form through Legal Claim Assistant.
Legal Claim Assistant does not list a phone number for direct contact. But here is a selection of related law firms you can call and that are related to this type of class action that provide free case consultations:
- Hilliard Law: (866) 927-3420
- Oberheiden P.C. : (866) 781-9539 or (212) 970-9468
- Slater & Zurz: (330) 762-0700
- Sokolove Law: (800) 995-1212
- Morris James: (302) 655-2599
- Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. : This firm doesn’t list a direct contact number, so you can contact them through the form on their website.
- King Law: (585) 316-0536
Most law firms, including Legal Claim Assistant, have contact forms on their websites for submitting your case details.
