Monster Beverage lawsuit: Doctors hired by the company have said the drink did not cause the death of a 14-year-old girl.
Monster Beverage Corporation released a report on Monday, stating that a team of doctors have concluded that Monster energy drink did not cause 14-year-old Anais Fournier’s death.
Fournier’s family filed a lawsuit on Oct. 17, 2012 after the girl had a heart attack; she had drank two 24-ounce cans of Monster Energy, which contain 240 milligrams of caffeine each.
Daniel Callahan, one of Monster’s lawyers, summed up the findings of the doctors retained by the company in a press release Monday: “After an examination of Ms. Fournier’s medical records, pathology report, and autopsy report, the physicians stated conclusively that there is no medical, scientific, or factual evidence to support the Maryland Medical Examiner’s Report of ‘caffeine toxicity’ or that Ms. Fournier’s consumption of two Monster Energy Drinks 24 hours apart contributed to, let alone was the cause of, her untimely death.”
“There is no medical or scientific evidence that Ms. Fournier had any caffeine in her system at the time of cardiac arrest,” he said.
He cited a Harvard Medical School study that showed such caffeine levels do not stimulate arrhythmias (a problem with the rate or rhythm of the heartbeat) even in patients predisposed to the problem.
He pointed out that a 24-ounce Monster drink contains less caffeine than a 12-ounce cup of Starbucks coffee.
