11/19/2010 // West Palm Beach, FL, US // Sandra Quinlan // Sandra Quinlan
Tallahassee, FL—The maker of the well-known and highly scrutinized alcoholic energy drink, Four Loko faces pending wrongful death litigation in connection with the passing of a Florida State University sophomore. A Florida couple filed a lawsuit against Phusion Projects, claiming their son fatally shot himself after drinking three cans of the drink.
Just one day after ABC News provided coverage of the Four Loko lawsuit, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration sent warning letters to the manufacturers of several alcoholic energy drinks on the market.
According to a previous report titled, “Consumer Safety News: FDA Issues Warning on Alcoholic Energy Drinks,” the FDA claimed there is evidence that individuals may be at risk of adverse health effects if they consume beverages that combine both alcohol and caffeine. The administration issued the warning letters a year after it began its review on the questionable beverages.
Joe and Vicki Keiran are suing the maker of Four Loko after their son Jason fatally shot himself after a 30-hour partying binge with his roommates on Sept. 17.
According to the family’s attorney, “They say he started to act crazy. He pointed the gun at his head and everyone else. He said I realize I’m freaking you guys out take the gun away from me.”
The 20-year-old FSU student then tragically went on to shoot himself. While the medical examiner’s office has yet to determine whether Jason’s death was an accidental shooting or suicide, his friends and family seemed to have no doubt that the incident was unintentional.
Jason’s father, Joe Keiran stated, “We lived for our kids so they could get on their way in life.” Vicki Keiran added, “I just miss him more and more everyday I wish he would e-mail me I wish he would call me & I wish he was coming home for Thanksgiving.”
Though Phusion Projects would not comment on the Keiran’s lawsuit, company officials alleged that they “don’t agree with the notion that mixing caffeine and alcohol is inherently unsafe,” in response to the FDA’s recent warning letters.
The maker of Four Loko reminded regulators that there are 40 more brands of alcoholic energy drinks being sold, noting, “We welcome the opportunity to have a discussion with you about working together to create uniform, industry wide standards.”
Vicki Keiran contended the lawsuit was filed as a means of averting similar incidents in the future and “so another mother doesn’t have to sit here so she doesn’t have to go through what I went through.”
The case is underway.
Legal News Reporter: Sandra Quinlan– Legal News for Florida Wrongful Death Lawyers.
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