Shaw Cowart LLP is no longer accepting energy drink litigation cases.
Visit any grocery or convenience store, and you’ll find a wide variety of beverages sold as “energy drinks.” From Red Bull to Rockstar to Monster, these drinks – which typically contain significant amounts of caffeine – have become a cultural item as well as a beverage option.
They’ve also been linked to deaths and serious injuries in at least five cases, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
How are Energy Drinks Dangerous?
Energy drinks typically contain large amounts of caffeine. While people the world over have consumed caffeine for centuries, the amounts that appear in other types of drinks, like coffee, tea and colas, are much lower than the amounts found in energy drinks.
According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, just 16 ounces of Redline Energy Drink contain 632 mg of caffeine. To consume the same amount of caffeine in other beverages, you’d have to drink 76 ounces (about 2 quarts, or half a gallon) of black coffee, 109 ounces (3.4 quarts, or just under a gallon) of Pepsi MAX, or 217 ounces (1.69 gallons!) of Coca-Cola Classic.
Other energy drinks contain similar amounts of caffeine. Sixteen ounces of Bang Energy Drink deliver 357 mg of caffeine; Full Throttle offers 200 mg, and Monster contains 160 mg. So-called “energy shots,” like 5-hour Energy or NoDoz, contain even more caffeine per ounce.
Caffeine is a drug. Like other drugs, it has certain effects on the body – and like other drugs, too much caffeine can be harmful or even fatal. The Mayo Clinic recommends that healthy adults limit themselves to 400 mg of caffeine per day and that teens consume no more than 100 mg per day. The high amount of caffeine in energy drinks, however, makes it very difficult to watch how much you are consuming.
Experienced Austin Energy Drink Litigation Attorney in Texas
The FDA has confirmed five reports of deaths linked to energy drinks, all of which appear to be due to caffeine overdose. In August 2012, Monster announced that the company was under investigation after a 14-year-old died of cardiac arrhythmia due to caffeine toxicity, having consumed 48 ounces of Monster energy drink. Monster has settled two other cases, including one involving a 19-year-old who died of cardiac arrhythmia and cardiomyopathy connected to energy drink use. Other energy drink manufacturers have faced similar accusations.
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