Panera Bread Settles First Wrongful Death Lawsuit Over Charged Lemonade

Panera Bread has settled the first of several wrongful death lawsuits stemming from its discontinued Charged Lemonade beverages, according to the law firm representing the family.

Elizabeth Crawford, a partner at Kline & Specter, PC, confirmed the settlement in an email statement to USA TODAY Monday but did not disclose the agreement's details. Other Charged Lemonade cases represented by the firm are still pending.

The settlement, first reported by NBC News, is the first to emerge from several similar lawsuits against the eatery. The family of Sarah Katz, a 21-year-old Ivy League college student with a heart condition who died after drinking one of the lemonades, was the first to file such legal actions.

Other outstanding lawsuits linked the drink, which contained 390 mg of caffeine in a large serving, to the death of Dennis Brown, 46, of Fleming Island, Florida, and to the "permanent" injury alleged by Lauren Skerritt, 28, of Rhode Island.

Panera initially added a warning label to the drinks but has since removed the lemonade from stores nationwide, citing a "menu transformation." Panera Bread did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday morning.

Sarah Katz's Story

On Sept. 10, 2022, Sarah Katz, a 21-year-old University of Pennsylvania student diagnosed with QT syndrome type 1, drank a Charged Lemonade at a local Panera Bread. Believing the "charged" referred to electrolytes, as in Gatorade, Katz consumed the drink using her Unlimited Sip Club membership.

Hours later, she collapsed into cardiac arrest and died at the hospital after a second arrest.

At the time, Panera stated: “We were very saddened to learn this morning about the tragic passing of Sarah Katz, and our hearts go out to her family. At Panera, we strongly believe in transparency around our ingredients. We will work quickly to thoroughly investigate this matter.”

The Lawsuit

Sarah Katz's family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Panera Bread in the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County on Oct. 23, 2023. The lawsuit alleged Katz went into cardiac arrest directly from consuming the Charged Lemonade, which contained more caffeine than drinks like Monster or Red Bull but was advertised as a "clean" drink with the same caffeine as a dark roast coffee.

Panera's request to dismiss the case was rejected by a judge.