AUS
NZ
UK
CA
USA
IND
In a groundbreaking legal decision, a Nevada jury has awarded $5.2 billion in damages to customers harmed by the bottled water brand Real Water, operated by AffinityLifestyles.com Inc. This monumental verdict follows a 12-day trial focused on negligence and product liability after the company’s water was recalled in 2021 due to contamination that allegedly caused liver damage among consumers.
Details of the Verdict
The Clark County District Court jury delivered its verdict on Wednesday, awarding approximately $230 million in compensatory damages alongside a staggering $5 billion in punitive damages. The plaintiffs, including Hunter Brown, alleged that Real Water contained harmful levels of hydrazine, a chemical associated with rocket fuel, which may have contaminated the water during the treatment process before bottling. Attorney Will Kemp, who represents the plaintiffs, anticipates that the company’s insurance provider will contest the payment of damages given that AffinityLifestyles.com has filed for bankruptcy.
History of Legal Challenges
This recent verdict adds to a series of significant judgments against AffinityLifestyles.com. In June, a jury awarded plaintiffs nearly $3.1 billion, while prior verdicts in February and October 2023 totaled $130 million and $228 million, respectively. These decisions reflect a growing trend of accountability as consumers seek redress for the alleged harms caused by the bottled water brand.
Company Background and Defense
AffinityLifestyles.com was led by Brent Jones, a former Republican state Assembly member in Nevada from 2016 to 2018. Despite the mounting legal challenges, Jones and the company’s attorneys did not respond to requests for comment on the latest verdict. Defense attorneys have argued that the company’s actions were not reckless but rather unintentional negligence, asserting that AffinityLifestyles.com was unaware of the hydrazine contamination and had not conducted tests to detect it.
Reputation of Real Water
Real Water marketed itself as a premium product packaged in distinctive blue bottles, claiming to provide treated “alkalized” drinking water with detoxifying benefits. The water was distributed widely across the Southwest, including Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and the Los Angeles area, before being pulled from shelves in March 2021. The fallout from the contamination has significantly damaged the brand’s reputation and resulted in numerous lawsuits from affected consumers.
Ongoing Legal Battles
Kemp is also representing additional plaintiffs in several other civil lawsuits against AffinityLifestyles.com, highlighting the extensive reach of the issue and the ongoing quest for justice by those impacted by the company's alleged negligence. As the legal landscape unfolds, the case continues to draw attention to the critical importance of consumer safety and corporate accountability in the bottled water industry.
