Family Blames Monster Energy Drink on Uncle’s Death

Taylor, MIDiane’s uncle blames Monster Energy Drinks for her uncle’s untimely death. So far two Monster Energy Drink Death lawsuits have been filed: both victims were in their teens. But Diane’s uncle was 59 years old.

Diane says that her Uncle Rickie and her mother were drinking “Jager Bombs,” a drink made popular with Red Bull but increasingly common to substitute other Energy Drinks such as Monster, just before he died.

“My mother was sitting with Uncle Rickie at the kitchen table - they both lived in my grandmother’s house,” says Diane. “She told us that our uncle leaned over the table and she thought he just passed out. When she checked on him a few hours later, he was gone. They were both drinking Jägermeister mixed with Monster - which they did just about every Saturday night. I don’t know how many jaegers he drank that night but he likely drank two or three of the big cans - either the 24-ounce or the 32-ounce Monster Energy BFC.”

Proponents and imbibers of the Jager Bomb, a caffeine-alcohol combination, say the cocktail creates a unique “high,” or at the very least, a counteract to the depressant of alcohol. They claim it makes you “more aware, more energetic, and more active.” It can also lead to Monster Energy side effects such as high blood pressure, heart palpitations, cardiac arrest and death.

“My uncle Rickie was a machine operator and worked five days a week, and often six days a week including Saturdays,” says Diane. “He didn’t have a drinking problem and I would have known if he had any health problems. Rickie was a hard worker and drinking Monster was his way to relax, to wind down.

“It was really a shock to all of us, especially my mom. She phoned me just after she called 911. I didn’t believe her at first because I had seen him earlier that day - he was fine. The medical examiner said his heart stopped. The reason I filed a Monster claim is because Rickie had no heart problems, and there is no history of heart problems in our family.

“Saturday was always Rickie’s day to hang out with family at the house. He only drank Jaegar and those stupid Monster drinks. I know for a damn fact that he died from drinking too much of that Monster Energy drink.”

Meanwhile, a California judge at the end of May ordered Monster Beverage to mediation this November 2013 in Anais Fournier’s wrongful death Monster Beverage lawsuit that alleges Monster drinks were to blame for the 14-year-old girl’s death.

Anais’ parents were hopeful that a trial date was going to be set at the hearing. “They are frustrated that Monster continues to sell thousands of energy drinks to young people every day,” said Kevin Goldberg, the Monster Energy Drink attorney representing the Fournier family.

A coroner’s report agreed with the lawsuit’s claim that Anais Fournier died of “cardiac arrhythmia due to caffeine toxicity.” The girl also had an existing heart problem, but not one that was severe enough for doctors to limit her activities or to warn her away from caffeine. Uncle Rickie had no heart issues.