Plaintiffs’ personal injury law firm Feldman Shepherd Wohlgelernter Tanner Weinstock Dodig LLP filed a wrongful death lawsuit on September 5, 2024 on behalf of the family of 32-year-old Matthew Cornier, of Toms River, New Jersey, who died on December 6, 2023, after consuming Neptune’s Fix Elixir.
The lawsuit was filed in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Middlesex County, against Neptune Resources, LLC; Super Chill CBD Products; and Hometown Market, who are named as manufacturers, distributors and/or sellers of Neptune’s Fix. The litigation is led by Feldman Shepherd shareholders John M. Dodig and Jason A. Daria.
According to the suit, Neptune’s Fix, marketed as a dietary supplement, contains tianeptine, an unapproved antidepressant drug which is advertised as “Happiness in a Bottle.” The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued warnings about adverse reactions from products containing tianeptine, including seizures, coma and death. In January 2024, after Cornier’s death, Neptune Resources voluntarily recalled Neptune’s Fix Elixir.
New Jersey officials, including U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr., have highlighted the dangerous and addictive properties of Neptune’s Fix and other products containing tianeptine, leading to calls for stricter regulation and enforcement to protect public health.
The Ocean County Medical Examiner concluded that Cornier’s death was caused by the adverse effect of tianeptine with THC, which the lawsuit attributes to Cornier’s consumption of Neptune’s Fix.
“Matthew Cornier was a devoted and loving son, brother, friend, and fiancé to his longtime girlfriend and soulmate. Matt did not have a history of health issues or addiction. He bought Neptune’s Fix thinking that it was a dietary supplement, that it was safe, and that it would help him focus at work as a talented and up-and-coming Graphic Design Artist. He purchased it at a local convenience store, not some back alley. Neptune Resources and other companies that have put tianeptine-containing products into the marketplace must be held legally accountable when their products cause deaths and serious injuries,” Dodig said.
“No one should die because they drank a small energy drink that they purchased at a local convenience store. We hope that this lawsuit will shine a spotlight on this public health concern and prompt the companies behind products with tianeptine to take immediate action to remove them from the marketplace,” Daria said.
To download a copy of the complaint CLICK HERE.
Mr. Dodig and Mr. Daria may be contacted directly at:
John M. Dodig: jdodig@feldmanshepherd.com or 215-567-8300
Jason A. Daria: jdaria@feldmanshepherd.com or 215-567-8300