Obstacle course racer Lauren Skerritt alleged in a recent lawsuit that she experienced heart problems requiring emergency room intervention after consuming Panera Bread's charged lemonade.
Skerritt, 28, joins the families of two other plaintiffs who have filed similar suits, both claiming that loved ones suffered fatal heart attacks linked to the beverage.
Panera has rejected the previous lawsuits as "equally without merit."
Skerritt, a resident of Smithfield, Rhode Island, said that after consuming 2½ servings of charged lemonade from a Panera store in Greenville on April 8, she suffered an irregular heartbeat. After being rushed to the emergency room April 9, doctors diagnosed her with atrial fibrillation, a heart condition with potential complications.
The lawsuit, filed in Delaware superior court, details Skerritt's ongoing health challenges, including recurrent rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, palpitations, brain fog, difficulty concentrating, body shakes, and weakness. Furthermore, the complaint mentions the postponement of Skerritt's plans to have a child due to the perceived high-risk pregnancy and potential complications.
Panera Bread, a $5.8 billion chain with nearly 2,200 locations across the U.S., faces mounting legal challenges. The company has not commented on Skerritt's case.
Last October, the family of 21-year-old Sarah Katz, a University of Pennsylvania student, sued Panera, attributing her fatal heart attack to the consumption of charged lemonade. The complaint highlighted Katz's belief that the beverage was a traditional or electrolyte sports drink containing a safe amount of caffeine. Panera included the drink in its "Sip Club," encouraging customers to "drink unlimited Panera charged lemonade every day."
Panera expressed condolences for Katz's passing, emphasizing transparency in ingredient disclosure and pledging a thorough investigation.
In another incident, the family of 46-year-old Dennis Brown from Florida filed a lawsuit against Panera, claiming his death resulted from cardiac arrest hours after drinking a charged lemonade. Panera, however, asserted that Brown's passing was not linked to their products based on its investigation.
Panera's menu reveals that a large charged lemonade contains 390 milligrams of caffeine, approaching the FDA's daily maximum intake of 400 milligrams.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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