A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed following the death of Robert Simmons, who reportedly died from acute mitragynine toxicity, commonly associated with kratom. According to the Weld County Coroner, Simmons’s death is attributed to kratom toxicity. The lawsuit claims that Simmons was misled by the defendants into believing that kratom was safe and natural, which influenced his decision to use the substance to manage chronic pain.
Tamara Spires, an attorney from mctlaw representing Simmons’s family, stated that the defendants created a network of shell companies to market and sell kratom with the sole purpose of financial profit. The lawsuit alleges that these companies failed to inform consumers about the risks associated with kratom and did not provide adequate warning labels on their products.
The complaint asserts that the defendants falsely promoted kratom as beneficial for medicinal purposes, despite the fact that the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved kratom for any medical use. The lawsuit, which addresses broader concerns regarding the product’s safety, is part of an increasing national movement to tackle the dangers related to kratom, which has been linked to several fatalities across the United States.
The lawsuit was filed on September 23, 2024, in Weld County District Court by Simmons’s widow, Erika Simmons. The defendants listed in the case include One Love, Inc., several LLCs, and individual defendants involved in the sale and distribution of kratom products.
mctlaw, the firm representing Simmons’s family, specializes in complex litigation, including wrongful death cases and claims related to dangerous consumer products.