Jury Rules Real Water Owes Nearly $130 Million For Liver Issues

If you were walking into any convenience store in Las Vegas in the mid-2010s, you saw them. Real Water promised "Beyond Alkalinity" with 9.0 pH water and "negative ions". What customers received instead was liver damage due to the chemical hydrazine. Now a jury has awarded some of those affected nearly $130 Million.

When it comes to drinking water, the last thing you want to hear is "rocket fuel". But that is exactly what the chemical hydrazine is used in. The highly toxic substance is flammable and not fit for human consumption. Unfortunately, Real Water did not know to test their water for the chemical, according to their own attorney. That mistake led to massive issues for customers of the supposedly healthy water brand.

People started getting sick from their larger 5 gallon bottles. The Food And Drug Administration (FDA) investigated and a study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tied 25 acute liver failure cases back to the H2O. All but three were based in Nevada. One woman died, several children suffered liver failure. We are talking bad bad.

The jury's award will go to the five people in this lawsuit who were made sick by the beverage. The lead plaintiff in the case was awarded more as his life expectancy has measurably dropped due to the poisoning.

Real Water wasn't the only defendant in the case. Whole Foods, Costco, Terrible Herbst, and the companies that Real Water bought their testing equipment from - Hanna Instruments and Milwaukee Instruments - reached settlements separately from this jury award.

Wait, wasn't there already a Real Water case? Yes. That case, representing seven other users of the bad water, led to a $228.5 million verdict back in October.

The people behind the Real Water brand settled their case with the feds and are no longer allowed to sell water again. Probably a good idea.

It's always interesting to see which cities are considered safe and dangerous in the US. It can also be helpful if you're planning a big move. Now, there's a new study out that pinpoints the most dangerous cities in America.

The new study comes from Noradarealestate.com. In it, they say, "From gang violence to high levels of property crime, these cities have earned their spots on the list." Yikes.

Before we get to the crime in each region of the country, let's look at some of the No. 1s in this study. According to Noradarealestate.com, the "FBI's most dangerous city" in the West is Stockton, California. In the Midwest, it's St. Louis, Missouri. Then, in the South, it's Baltimore, Maryland; and in the Northeast, it's Hartford, Connecticut. Noradarealestate.com notes that even though these cities are dangerous in the report, "each of these cities has also demonstrated resilience and a commitment to addressing these issues through various initiatives and collaborative efforts. By focusing on community engagement, comprehensive strategies, and investment in socio-economic development, these cities can work towards creating safer, more inclusive, and prosperous communities for all residents." So, it's not all dismal. There is definitely hope.

So, what's the most dangerous city in America? Detroit. "The violent crime index, encompassing homicides, robberies, and aggravated assaults, is alarmingly high," the study states. "The prevalence of guns and gang activity further exacerbates the issue, making Detroit a concerning place in terms of personal safety." That said, I love Detroit, and even though it's good to see which cities are trending up and down in terms of crime, remember that every city has its good and bad areas. So, don't write these towns off your list because of one study. Find the full study from Noradarealestate.com here.

Check out the most dangerous cities in America by region below, via the latest FBI data.

No. 1 on the FBI's list is Stockton, California, with a population of 308,348. Other cities in the top five include San Bernardino, California; Oakland, California; Anchorage, Alaska; and Pueblo, Colorado. Find the full FBI data here.

No. 1 on the FBI's list is Baltimore, Maryland. Other cities in the top five include Memphis, Tennessee; Little Rock, Arkansas; Nashville, Tennessee; and New Orleans, Louisiana. Find the full FBI data here.

No. 1 on the FBI's list is St. Louis, Missouri. Other cities in the top five include Kansas City, Missouri; Rockford, Illinois; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Minneapolis, Minnesota. Find the full FBI data here.

No. 1 on the FBI's list is Hartford, Connecticut. Other cities in the top five include Buffalo, New York; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Rochester, New York; and Bridgeport, Connecticut. Find the full FBI data here.