Our law firm has been at the forefront of the battle against energy drink companies. Our main goal is to bring awareness to the public (especially parents of teenagers) that energy drinks can be extremely dangerous, and even deadly to certain people.

This industry seems to target their marketing at teenagers just like the tobacco companies did in the 80s and 90s. Energy drinks are also addictive; basically the energy drink companies are trying to get our kids hooked so they will have customers for life. The way they market to teenagers is reminiscent of the Joe Camel campaigns used by the tobacco industry.

IF YOU HAVE AN UNDERLYING HEART CONDITION OR ARE SENSITIVE TO CAFFEINE THEN YOU SHOULD NOT DRINK ENERGY DRINKS.

Many energy drink consumers are children, teenagers and young adults. Many of these kids may have underlying hear conditions (e.g. mitral valve prolapse, high blood pressure, etc.) that make them vulnerable to energy drink injuries. They likely don’t even know they have the underlying heart condition because of their youth (their conditions are sub-clinical.) Also, we are concerned that chronic energy drink consumption over a long period of time may cause damage to the heart, making energy drink consumers more vulnerable to heart attacks and arrhythmias.

The FDA has done a terrible job of regulating the energy drink industry. Although there is overwhelming evidence that people with underlying heart conditions should not drink energy drinks, there are no such warnings on most energy drink products.

Lawsuits v. Monster Energy Drinks

Monster Energy drinks were not adequately tested prior to being sold to our kids and teens. Basically the test is occurring now in the marketplace our children are the guinea pigs and we are seeing many incidents of energy drink-induced heart attacks, cardiac arrhythmias and other injuries. Since the government is not protecting our teenagers, it is extremely important that this industry be held accountable for the injuries and deaths that its products cause.

In addition to bringing personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits against companies such as Monster Beverage Corp. our firm also has been trying to get the word out about the dangers of energy drinks in the media, and even worked with Maryland legislators drafting a bill to ban the sale of energy drinks to minors (HB 1273) (side note: the bill failed because of a massive lobbying effort by the energy drink industry and the American Beverage Association.)

Our law firms’ first wrongful death case against Monster Beverage Corporation is scheduled to go to trial in April 2015 in Alameda County, California (Morris v. Monster.) Our law firm represents the family of an amazing 19-year-old kid who, the lawsuit contends, died as a result of consuming energy drinks. Alex Morris was just 19 years old at the time of his death. We also represent the family of a 14-year-old Maryland girl who died after consuming Monster Energy drinks (trial Scheduled for August 2015) and many other individuals who have died or suffered serious injuries after consuming energy drinks.

Although the medical and scientific community have recognized the dangers of energy drinks, unfortunately the FDA has failed to act and as a result our children are still at risk.

So, what evidence is out there that energy drinks are dangerous?

  • First of all, there are numerous Adverse Event Reports on file with the FDA suggesting that individuals have suffered heart attacks, cardiac arrhythmias and other serious injuries after consuming energy drinks.
  • The American Academy of Pediatrics has warned that energy drinks can be dangerous and should not be consumed by children.
  • The Federal Government has recognized, in a report from SAMHSA, that there has been an astronomical spike in energy drink related Emergency Room Visits.
  • There are also numerous peer reviewed scientific articles suggesting that energy drinks cause an increase in heart rate and blood pressure, and that they can cause arrhythmias and heart attacks in certain individuals.

Our law firm has assembled a blue ribbon panel of well-credentialed experts (cardiologists, pharmacologists, toxicologists, etc) who all are of the opinion that energy drinks can cause heart attack, arrhythmia and sometimes even death.

The problem with energy drinks is not just the caffeine content (which is much higher than the FDA GRAS level for soda beverages.) It is the synergistic effect of caffeine and all of the other chemicals in the drinks such as taurine, guarana, inositol, panax ginseng, etc. Plus, it should be noted that the caffeine in energy drinks is not naturally occurring caffeine such as in coffee. Instead it is synthetic caffeine which is not naturally occurring.

If you have suffered a serious injury after consuming energy drinks, please call a personal injury attorney in Silver Spring, MD at Goldberg Finnegan for a free phone consultation to discuss your rights and whether an energy drink lawsuit is appropriate. Call (888) 213-8140 or contact us online today.