A Nevada family has filed a lawsuit claiming a woman developed ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, after drinking bottled water sold at Costco that allegedly contained a toxic chemical commonly used in rocket fuel. The lawsuit accuses bottled water company Real Water and its parent company of producing unsafe drinking water that exposed consumers to hydrazine, a chemical linked to serious health risks.
The woman at the center of the lawsuit, Addie Coggs, died in 2019 after battling ALS. Her family now alleges that contaminated bottled water played a major role in her illness and eventual death.
Family Claims Bottled Water Contained Dangerous Chemical
According to the lawsuit, Addie Coggs regularly purchased and consumed Real Water products sold at stores including Costco and WinCo Foods in Nevada.
The legal complaint alleges that the water contained hydrazine, a toxic chemical known for its use in rocket fuel and industrial applications. The family claims exposure to the chemical caused Coggs to develop ALS, a fatal neurological disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.
ALS gradually destroys the body’s ability to control muscles, leading to difficulty moving, speaking, swallowing, and eventually breathing. The disease is currently considered incurable and fatal.
Real Water Previously Investigated by FDA
The lawsuit comes after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration investigated Real Water in 2021. According to federal reports, the FDA found that the company failed to meet important safety and preventive control requirements at its facilities.
Following the investigation, Real Water agreed to stop operations in June 2021.
The complaint also claims that flaws in the company’s manufacturing process may have created the dangerous chemical contamination inside the bottled water.
How Hydrazine Allegedly Formed in the Water
According to court documents, experts believe hydrazine may have formed during a process where water was exposed to strong electrical charges while passing through titanium tubes.
The lawsuit claims the water treatment process involved positive and negative electrical charges being applied for long periods of time. Attorneys for the family argue that the interaction between the electrified titanium tubes and minerals in the water may have created hydrazine contamination.
Hydrazine is commonly known as a highly toxic chemical used in rocket fuel systems, including emergency power units in military aircraft such as F-16 fighter jets.
Family Says Addie Had No Other Known Exposure Risks
The complaint states that Addie Coggs had no other significant chemical exposures or known environmental factors commonly associated with ALS before her diagnosis.
Her family alleges that the bottled water was the direct cause of her illness and says she suffered severe health complications before her death on September 10, 2019.
Coggs was a Las Vegas resident and mother of six children.
Dozens of Other Lawsuits Also Filed
According to the lawsuit, many other people have reportedly filed legal claims connected to Real Water products. Attorneys involved in the litigation claim consumers suffered a wide range of health problems after drinking the water.
The complaint references allegations involving liver failure, liver transplants, miscarriages, brain surgeries, and multiple deaths tied to the bottled water products.
Lawyers representing the family say at least 90 other injury-related lawsuits have already been filed against Real Water.
Attorney Calls ALS Death ‘Horrible’
Attorney Will Kemp, who represents the Coggs family and other plaintiffs in Real Water lawsuits, described ALS as a devastating disease and argued that hydrazine exposure may have triggered the condition.
He stated that hydrazine is widely recognized as both a liver toxin and an environmental chemical linked to neurological harm.
The lawsuit also reportedly includes photographs showing Real Water products inside Coggs’ home before her illness and death.
Companies Have Not Publicly Responded
According to reports, neither Affinitylifestyles.com nor Costco responded publicly to requests for comment regarding the lawsuit.
Costco has reportedly settled some lawsuits connected to Real Water in the past, though details of those agreements have not been fully disclosed publicly.
The case is expected to continue through the court system as the family seeks accountability for what they believe caused Addie Coggs’ illness and death.
