A South Los Angeles girl is suing Starbucks for negligence after she claims she was scalded at a drive-through window in Lynwood.
Muriel Evans filed a grievance Wednesday with the Los Angeles County Superior Court docket in Compton. She alleges {that a} defective espresso cup lid and the extreme warmth from her beverage led to extreme burns after a barista spilled espresso into her lap.
Evans is asking for basic and particular damages, together with her medical, hospital and incidental bills, and punitive damages to “set an example” of Starbucks. She claims the company is detached “to the obviously dangerous mixture of excessively hot temperatures combined with defective lids.”
“Starbucks has shown a reckless disregard for the safety of its customers, continuing to serve scalding hot coffee in defective cups despite countless reports and warnings,” Evans’ legal professional Nick Rowley mentioned in a press release.
A Starbucks consultant responded briefly: “We take pride in ensuring our beverages are crafted with care and delivered to customers safely. We take all claims seriously, but we will not be commenting on pending litigation.”
Evans pulled into the Starbucks drive-through on Aug. 25, 2022, and ordered a espresso, in line with the lawsuit.
A Starbucks worker then “mishandled” the espresso and spilled it onto Evans’ lap, with the new liquid rolling down her left leg, in line with the lawsuit.
A South Los Angeles girl says her leg was severely injured after the lid got here off a cup of 190-degree Starbucks espresso.
(Courtesy Trial Attorneys for Justice)
Evans mentioned she suffered extreme and everlasting burns to her physique together with nerve injury and disfigurement.
Evans’ authorized staff believes the espresso’s temperature was 190 levels, just a bit lower than boiling.
Earlier Starbucks’ guides have listed most sizzling drinks at between 150 and 170 levels.
Water heated to 120 levels takes 5 to 10 minutes to trigger a third-degree burn; at 131 levels, it’s 10 to 30 seconds; and at 140 levels, it’s two to 5 seconds, in line with the Nationwide Middle for Biotechnology Info.
As for the lids, there have been numerous media articles and threads and movies complaining about Starbucks’ lids and their ease in falling off, together with on Reddit and TikTok.
Starbucks is going through related lid lawsuits.
A San Fernando Valley teen filed a go well with in June towards the corporate, alleging she was burned by a sizzling tea. The teenager’s drink was double-cupped, however the lid popped off, the lawsuit alleges.
“Muriel Evans suffered severe burns because Starbucks prioritized cost-cutting over basic customer safety,” Rowley mentioned. “We intend to hold Starbucks fully accountable for their blatant disregard and gross negligence.”
