Red Bull may not 'give you wings,' but it will give you $10

Sorry to break it to you, energy drink consumers: Red Bull doesn’t really “give you wings.”

Red Bull recently agreed to a $13 million settlement in two proposed class-action lawsuits that accuse the company of false advertising.

The lawsuit argued that the energy drink giant misled consumers about the "functionality and safety" of its products.

Plaintiff Benjamin Careathers filed a claim to address Red Bull's improper and deceptive marketing practices, which include the popular slogan "Red Bull gives you wings.'"

Red Bull "preys upon consumers by promising that, among other things, 'Red Bull gives you wings,' " the lawsuit states.

But Red Bull is basically coffee, the lawsuit suggests.

The energy drink "provides nothing superior for the consumer's physiological and mental performance that cannot be had from a simple cup of coffee or caffeine pill."

As a part of the settlement, customers who bought a Red Bull between Jan. 1, 2002 and Oct. 3, 2014 can choose to get $10 in cash back or $15 worth of Red Bull products, with free shipping. 

There are four ways Red Bull customers can claim their settlement – money or Red Bull products:

- Fill out a claim form online

- Email the claim to energydrinksettlement@gcginc.com

- Fax the claim to 844-533-1373

- Mail to Class Action Settlement Administrator at Energy Drink Settlement, c/o GCG, P.O. Box 35123, Seattle, WA 98124-5123

Forms must be submitted no later than March 2, 2015. No proof of purchase is required.

However, if you want to make a claim you may have to wait in a long line. 

According to Red Bull's website, around 40 billion cans of Red Bull have been consumed to date. That means a lot of people have probably bought the energy drink over the past decade.

In fact, the settlement website had so much traffic it crashed Wednesday night and was down the majority of Thursday afternoon.

The U.S. District Court of the Southern District of New York will hold a hearing on May 1, 2015, to approve the settlement. Consumers will receive payments 150 days after the final approval.

Red Bull did not immediately return requests for comment by Newsday on Thursday.

An overview of the proposed settlement states that "Red Bull denies any and all wrongdoing or liability and maintains that its marketing and labeling have always been entirely truthful and accurate."

As for a comment on the energy drink's capabilities, Red Bull appears to be standing firm that it still "vitalizes body and mind."