Parents Awarded $745M in Lawsuit Over Nitrous Oxide Tragedy

A St. Louis County jury has reached a staggering $745 million verdict in favor of the parents of Marissa Politte, a 25-year-old woman tragically killed in a sidewalk accident outside a Ballwin urgent care facility.

The two-week-long trial revolved around allegations that a company distributing nitrous oxide under the brand name "Whip-It!" conspired with a local smoke shop to sell the product to customers aware of its illicit use as an inhalant for recreational purposes.

Marissa was leaving her workplace on October 18, 2020, when she was struck by an SUV driven by 20-year-old Trenton Geiger. It was later revealed that Geiger had been abusing Whip-It! nitrous oxide, causing him to lose consciousness behind the wheel and subsequently crash. Geiger had purchased the Whip-It! canisters from a Des Peres smoke shop called Coughing Cardinal before the fatal collision.

Whip-It! is marketed as a food propellant used for whipped cream. However, evidence presented during the trial revealed that a significant portion of its business model involved selling the gas to smoke shops.

The jury’s verdict on Friday assigned liability as follows: United Brands Products Design Development, the company responsible for distributing Whip-It!, was found 70% liable, Coughing Cardinal LLC, the smoke shop, 20% liable, and Geiger himself 10% liable for the tragic incident.

The monumental $745 million verdict comprised $20 million in compensatory damages, with a significant $700 million awarded in punitive damages against United Brands. An additional $25 million in punitive damages was levied against Coughing Cardinal.