A recent lawsuit against Panera Bread claims that a woman, Lauren Skerritt, suffered "permanent cardiac injuries" after consuming its Charged Lemonade. This marks the third legal action related to the beverage, following two cases last year where families alleged their relatives died shortly after drinking it.
According to the lawsuit, Skerritt, a 27-year-old occupational therapist and competitive athlete from Rhode Island, drank two-and-a-half cups of the lemonade in April 2023. The next day, she experienced palpitations, leading her to seek emergency medical attention. Subsequently, she was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, an irregular and rapid heart rhythm.
Since then, Skerritt has faced "recurrent episodes of rapid heartbeat" requiring daily medication, impacting her work, exercise, and social activities, the lawsuit states. The legal document emphasizes that Skerritt had no pre-existing health conditions and was actively engaged in physical activities before her experience with Panera.
Skerritt now suffers from supraventricular tachycardia, a fast or erratic heartbeat, along with symptoms like shortness of breath, palpitations, brain fog, difficulty concentrating, body shakes, weakness, and a developed tremor, according to the lawsuit. Due to her condition, she and her husband have postponed plans to start a family as it would be considered a high-risk pregnancy.
The lawsuit claims that Panera failed to adequately communicate that the lemonade was caffeinated. Skerritt's legal representation argues that the drink was marketed as a "juice beverage for children and adults" and displayed similarly to non-caffeinated drinks.
Sarah Katz, a UPenn student, and Dennis Brown, who had pre-existing health conditions, also died after consuming Charged Lemonade in separate incidents, according to lawsuits filed by their families. The lawsuits collectively argue that Panera's labeling was insufficient.
In response to the initial lawsuit, Panera modified the labeling of the drinks and seemingly adjusted the formulations to reduce caffeine content. The US Food and Drug Administration suggests that a healthy adult's daily caffeine limit is 400 milligrams. Panera's Charged Lemonade previously contained around 390 milligrams, but the current levels for the mango yuzu citrus and strawberry lemon mint flavors are 234 and 236 milligrams, respectively.
Panera has been contacted for comment, but a previous statement labeled the lawsuits as "without merit." The ongoing legal battles highlight concerns about the adequacy of product labeling and consumer awareness regarding the caffeine content in seemingly innocuous beverages like lemonade.
Woman Sues Panera