Heart attacks. Strokes. Kidney failure. A series of lawsuits filed this week claims popular caffeine-filled energy drinks can lead to serious health issues.
Orlando-based firm Morgan and Morgan filed suit Monday directed against Monster Energy drinks.
One of the plaintiffs who drank about six Monsters a day for five years suffered a stroke.
"It just seems too much to ignore - that there's one common thread that keeps coming up over and over. It's these energy drinks," said attorney Mike Morgan.
Morgan and Morgan said there's dozens of more suits coming over the multi-billion dollar industry including the makers of Rockstar, 5-Hour and Red Bull.
Among the allegations: energy drinks are targeting children, getting them hooked, there aren't proper warnings on the products or full disclosure on side effects.
"If the consumer can make a knowledgeable choice, that's OK. That's on them. But when you hide information and you don't disclose information, that's on the company to do something."
Experts say too much caffeine can increase your heart rate and blood pressure but the lawsuit contends that the effects can much more serious. It says that two 16-ounce cans of Monster contain what could be a lethal dose of caffeine. Monster Energy contends that one 16-ounce can contain less than half the caffeine that's contained in a medium Starbucks coffee.
They've had no motivation to do any testing to further decide whether or not these products are actually safe," said Andrew Felix. "And that lack of motivation stems from a very simple rationale: They are making too much money."
Morgan and Morgan set up a website - energydrinkslawsuit.com - with more information. They also want anyone who has suffered serious side effects to contact them.
Monster Energy says that this is a "copy-cat case filed by personal injury lawyers...trying to make a cottage industry out of suing energy drink companies. There is no merit in the case whatsoever."
The response also claims that the plaintiff named had preexisting health conditions completely unrelated to the consumption of Monster Energy that led to his stroke.
