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Starbucks is in hot water with one of its customers. According to Oregon Live, Julia A. Garcia is suing the coffee giant for $132,235 after being served a cup of hot water that she claims the barista made "far too hot for a person to drink."
The incident occured in April 2014 when Garcia received her order of hot water, tea, and food from the drive-thru at a Starbucks in Wood Village, Ore. While sitting in her car, Garcia claims the top of the cup collapsed, causing the hot contents to spill on her thighs, abdomen, and buttocks; the lawsuit claims Garcia suffered first- and second-degree burns that caused blisters and scarring. She is seeking $125,000 for pain and suffering in addition to $7,235 for medical bills.
According to the lawsuit, Starbucks is to blame because the water's temperature made it "readily capable of causing severe burns requiring hospitalization and/or other medical treatment." Garcia's attorney also says the design of the cup and lid are defective, due to the fact that they experienced "structural failure" under normal use. The suit also alleges that the employee failed to secure the lid properly.
It's not the first time Starbucks has been sued for the temperature of its hot beverages. Earlier this year, the coffee chain won a similar lawsuit by a North Carolina cop who claimed his coffee lid malfunctioned and collapsed causing a spill which resulted in third-degree burns. McDonald's has also experienced of slew of similar lawsuits, the most recent of which was filed earlier this month. However, not all customers who have been burned by hot food or beverage are able to sue, as one Applebee's customer learned after being burned by his fajitas.
Reached for comment by Eater, a Starbucks spokesperson gave the following statement: "The safety of our customers is our highest priority and we take this obligation seriously. We were concerned to learn of this incident and are investigating Ms. Garcia’s claims."
View the court documents, below:
