27-year-old Lauren Skerritt, a picture of health as a surfer, soccer player, and Spartan Beast competitor, now faces daily medication and a dramatically different lifestyle due to lasting heart problems allegedly triggered by Panera Bread's Charged Lemonade.
Hours after consuming 2 ½ cups of the caffeinated beverage, Skerritt's heart went into atrial fibrillation, a chaotic and irregular rhythm. Her lawsuit, filed on Tuesday, marks the third legal complaint against Panera over Charged Lemonade, raising serious questions about its safety. Panera has disputed the merit of previous lawsuits and stands by the safety of its products.
High-Octane Beverage Raises Safety Concerns
Supercharged with up to 390 milligrams of caffeine per 30 ounces (four times a regular coffee!), the popular drink has already been tied to the tragic deaths of two consumers with underlying health conditions. Dennis Brown, a Florida man, and Sarah Katz, a Pennsylvania student, both suffered fatal cardiac events after consuming the lemonade.
The lawsuits by Skerritt and the families of the deceased all point to Panera's failure to adequately warn consumers about the dangerously high caffeine content. The readily available drink, accessible through self-serve stations and the Unlimited Sip Club, lacks clear warnings despite containing multiple caffeine sources (coffee, guarana extract) and a staggering amount of sugar (124 grams in the largest size!).
Skerritt, an occupational therapist with no prior health issues, had no idea of the potent caffeine punch lurking in the lemonade labeled "plant-based". Her case throws a spotlight on the potential dangers of seemingly harmless beverages loaded with hidden caffeine and sugar.
