Woman scalded by hot coffee at a drive-thru sues Starbucks

A Los Angeles woman sued Starbucks Corp., alleging she suffered severe burns when an employee spilled scalding coffee on her at a drive-thru window.

The case is reminiscent of a famous 1994 case in which a woman in New Mexico was scalded by hot coffee at a McDonald's drive-thru.

In the current case, Muriel Evans claims that on Aug. 25, 2022, she ordered a large hot coffee at a Starbucks drive-thru in Lynwood. As the employee was handing her the drink, the lid allegedly popped off, causing the coffee to spill onto Evans' left leg and thigh. The complaint says the coffee was served at roughly 190 degrees Fahrenheit, hot enough to cause third-degree burns in less than a second.

A representative for Starbucks could not be reached for comment.

The complaint, which was filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Wednesday, accuses Starbucks of negligence and strict product liability. It alleges the company was aware of ongoing issues with faulty lids and excessively hot beverages but failed to take corrective action or adequately warn customers.

"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. This is not just an accident or isolated incident; it's the result of a corporate culture that values profit over people," Nick Rowley, co-founder of Trial Lawyers for Justice, said in a statement. "Muriel Evans suffered severe burns because Starbucks prioritized cost-cutting over basic customer safety. We intend to hold Starbucks fully accountable for their blatant disregard and gross negligence."

In the New Mexico case, Stella Liebeck, then 79, suffered third-degree burns after spilling coffee on herself in the drive-thru of a McDonald's in Albuquerque. The coffee also was served at 180-190°F. Liebeck v. McDonald Corp., CV-93-02419 (N.M. Dist., filed Aug. 18, 1994).

During discovery in that case, Liebeck's lawyers learned that McDonald's had received more than 700 burn complaints in the previous decade. The jury found McDonald's 80% at fault and awarded Liebeck $160,000 in compensatory damages and $2.7 million in punitive damages, though the case was ultimately settled for an undisclosed amount.

The punitive damages award was large for the time and prompted some efforts at tort reform. Plaintiffs' lawyers often point out that news reporting about the verdict often played down the severity of Liebeck's injuries and that McDonald's lowered the temperature of its coffee to 158°F because of the lawsuit.

In the Los Angeles case, Evans is seeking compensatory damages for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and punitive damages.