PHILADELPHIA - A charged lemonade is to blame for an 18-year-old's heart problems, a federal lawsuit against Panera says.
Luke Adams filed a lawsuit May 20 against Panera Bread Company and Panera, LLC in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
The complaint alleges that after consuming a large Mango Yuzu Citrus Charged Lemonade from Panera, Adams suffered a sudden cardiac arrest due to ventricular fibrillation triggered by high caffeine intake. This happened while he was at a showing of Dune 2 on March 9.
The drink contains up to 390 mg of caffeine without ice, which exceeds the combined caffeine content of popular energy drinks like Red Bull and Monster Energy Drink. The suit says Adams had consumed "limited caffeine" in his life.
Adams, represented by Elizabeth Crawford of Kline & Specter, P.C., claims that Panera failed to adequately warn consumers about the high caffeine content and potential health risks associated with its Charged Lemonade.
The lawsuit alleges defects in the product's design, manufacturing, and labeling, arguing that it poses significant health risks especially to children, pregnant women, and individuals sensitive to caffeine.
Despite receiving immediate medical attention including CPR and defibrillation shocks from an AED device, Adams was hospitalized and subsequently had a subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator implanted for ongoing heart condition management.
The complaint seeks compensatory damages for medical expenses, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, among other claims. It also calls for punitive damages against Panera for negligence and misrepresentation regarding the safety of its product.