[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.mctlaw.com\/product-liability\/kratom-lawsuits\/a-2-5-million-jury-verdict-in-the-first-kratom-wrongful-death-trial-in-the-us\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.mctlaw.com\/product-liability\/kratom-lawsuits\/a-2-5-million-jury-verdict-in-the-first-kratom-wrongful-death-trial-in-the-us\/","headline":"A $2.5-Million Jury Verdict in the First Kratom Wrongful Death Trial in the US","name":"A $2.5-Million Jury Verdict in the First Kratom Wrongful Death Trial in the US","description":"(COWLITZ COUNTY, WA \u2013 July 19, 2023) A Washington state jury awards a groundbreaking $2.5 million dollar verdict in a kratom wrongful death case. On Tuesday, July 18th, a twelve-person jury found defendants Wendianne Rook and her company, Society Botanicals, LLC, liable on four claims arising from the kratom death of 39-year-old Patrick Coyne. This is […]","datePublished":"2023-07-19","dateModified":"2025-09-22","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.mctlaw.com\/author\/michael-cowgill\/#Person","name":"Michael Cowgill","url":"https:\/\/www.mctlaw.com\/author\/michael-cowgill\/","identifier":35,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/57383716f837537167927516498f952d07afa4bc68449f8fda8c8744127f0365?s=96&d=blank&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/57383716f837537167927516498f952d07afa4bc68449f8fda8c8744127f0365?s=96&d=blank&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"mctlaw","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"http:\/\/www.mctlaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/mctlaw-color-for-schema.jpg","url":"http:\/\/www.mctlaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/mctlaw-color-for-schema.jpg","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.mctlaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Kratom-Verdict.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.mctlaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Kratom-Verdict.jpg","height":1000,"width":1000},"url":"https:\/\/www.mctlaw.com\/product-liability\/kratom-lawsuits\/a-2-5-million-jury-verdict-in-the-first-kratom-wrongful-death-trial-in-the-us\/","about":["Kratom Lawsuits"],"wordCount":587,"articleBody":"(COWLITZ COUNTY, WA \u2013 July 19, 2023) A Washington state jury awards a groundbreaking $2.5 million dollar verdict in a kratom wrongful death case. On Tuesday, July 18th, a twelve-person jury found defendants Wendianne Rook and her company, Society Botanicals, LLC, liable on four claims arising from the kratom death of 39-year-old Patrick Coyne. This is the first jury verdict in a civil claim for damages against a kratom manufacturer or distributor in the United States.Patrick and Sybil CoynePatrick CoyneThe Cowlitz County jury held Ms. Rook and her kratom company liable for: (1) negligence, (2) a defectively designed kratom product, (3) breach of the implied warranty of merchantability, and (4) unfair and deceptive business practices under the Washington Consumer Protection Act. (Case No. 20-2-00874-08 in Cowlitz County, WA). The trial lasted for two weeks and was presided over by Judge Gary Bashor.Coyne\u2019s widow Sybil says she is glad to finally have justice for Pat. \u201cMy family is grateful that the jury has seen the dangers of kratom, and that it does kill.\u201d\u201cDon\u2019t buy this product, and don\u2019t buy the misinformation of the American Kratom Association and their so-called Kratom Consumer Protection Act,\u201d says Coyne family attorney Talis Abolins of mctlaw.  \u201cThis industry is not about protection of consumers; it is 100% about protecting their ability to sell an unsafe product that should not even be in the country.\u201dKratom is brought into the United States labeled as \u201cnot for human consumption,\u201d often packaged as potpourri, incense, or plant food. It is then sold at convenience stores and head shops as an herbal remedy. Kratom is known to cause organ damage, seizures, psychosis, and death. According to its website, Society Botanicals kratom is sold in more than 700 retail stores across the region. \u201cI hope this verdict gets the attention of consumers and puts lawmakers on notice that kratom is hurting families in every state,\u201d says mctlaw attorney Michael Cowgill. \u201cThe verdict is a clear indication that jurors understand the risk posed by Kratom and the dangers to people who use it.\u201d  Talis Abolins agrees, saying \u201cthis verdict sends a message to the kratom industry that they will pay for hurting people. It also sends a message to US consumers that kratom kills.\u201d Society Botanicals Previously Found NegligentEarlier this year Judge Bashor entered a summary judgment against Society Botanicals, finding the Oregon company negligent due to \u201cinadequate warnings and instructions\u201d on the packaging of their product, called Kratom Divine.The Kratom Overdose Death of Patrick CoynePatrick Coyne lived with his wife and three children in Castle Rock, Washington, and worked as a marine mechanic for Clemens Marine in Portland, OR.  On the morning of June 28, 2020, Patrick\u2019s wife tried to wake him to go buy a motorcycle helmet as a Father\u2019s Day present, but he was unresponsive. First responders arrived, but it was too late. He couldn\u2019t be revived.The Cowlitz County Coroner confirmed that Patrick died from the \u201cToxic Effects of Mitragynine (Kratom)\u201d \u2014 a plant-based powder imported from Southeast Asia. The kratom powder was packaged as \u201cKratom Divine\u201d by Society Botanicals.About mctlaw The attorneys at mctlaw are national leaders in kratom wrongful death litigation and are committed to seeking justice for the families of those impacted by this substance. For questions about kratom litigation across the United States, contact attorney Talis Abolins, attorney Michael Cowgill, and attorney Tamara Williams at 888.952.5242. You can find more information about kratom litigation at https:\/\/www.mctlaw.com\/medical-product-liability\/kratom-lawsuits\/"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Product Liability","item":"https:\/\/www.mctlaw.com\/product-liability\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Kratom Lawsuits","item":"https:\/\/www.mctlaw.com\/product-liability\/\/kratom-lawsuits\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"A $2.5-Million Jury Verdict in the First Kratom Wrongful Death Trial in the US","item":"https:\/\/www.mctlaw.com\/product-liability\/kratom-lawsuits\/a-2-5-million-jury-verdict-in-the-first-kratom-wrongful-death-trial-in-the-us\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]