Father sues Monster Energy drink for the death of his 19-year old son

A 19 year old teenager, Dustin Hood, downed 3 1/2, 24-ounce cans of Monster Energy drink within a 24-hour period back in 2015 and died, now his father is blaming the buzz drink company for his son's death and is suing them for unspecified damages, according to TMZ reports.

According to the lawsuit, after drinking the last can, his son played basketball and collapsed face first on the concrete court. He was rushed to the hospital where he died a short time later. According to the lawsuit, Dustin died of cardiac arrhythmia, caused by a caffeine overload.

The suit which was filed last week claims 3 1/2 cans of Monster has the equivalent caffeine content of 14, 12 ounce cans of Coca Cola. The suit also notes that some other people have suffered cardiac arrest following the "acute consumption" of Monster Energy drink.

In February 2016, a Washington state man named Brian Smith sued Monster after suffering a stroke that he says was brought upon by downing four 16-ounce cans of Monster in a single day: equivalent to 640 mg of caffeine, or 18 Cokes’ worth.

Mr. Smith says he has suffered lasting injuries since the stroke occurred three years ago, in 2013. His attorney, Leo Shishmanian of Phillips Law Firm, writes in court papers,

“Despite the well-known health risks associated with excessive caffeine consumption, Monster Energy is heavily marketed towards children, teenagers and young adults – those individuals most susceptible to caffeine-related injury.”

In recent years, the U.S Food and Drug Administration has linked Monster energy drinks to five deaths. The company has come under significant legal fire.