Monster Beverage Co. calls mouse-in-can suit a "shakedown"

(CBS) - Vitaliy Sulzhik from Federal Way, Wash. says in March of 2010 he found a dead mouse in his can of Monster Energy drink, and filed suit March 2011 putting the blame squarely on the beverage company.

Monster Beverage Company has recently released a statement saying that the suit is "frivolous, unfounded, and is nothing more than a shakedown."

The company says that Sulzhik drank part of his Monster Energy before leaving the open can in his car for hours. This would give an energy-drained mouse ample time to crawl into the unattended beverage.

According to Monster, "common sense" dictates that any natural foreign object left in a can of Monster for a period of time would have deteriorated, leaving the beverage with a uniquely undrinkable taste. So: Sulzhik wouldn't have been able to drink part of the beverage unaware of its contents.

Comforting news for everyone hoping to avoid a surprise at the bottom of their energy drink!

The company says it wouldn't normally release a statement during legal proceedings, but they "strongly believe that we owe it to our consumers to assure them that there is no factual basis for Mr. Sulzhik's claim."

In other words, they really, really want you to keep buying their drinks.