Lawsuit Scorches Starbucks
A man was awarded $50 million after Starbucks drink caused “permanent disfigurement.”
The guy was picking up the order at a drive-thru window when the drink spilled onto his lap, causing third-degree burns to his penis.
Really.
Boom!
That money shot will cost the company 50 million bucks (though it’s certain to be appealed and re-litigated). READ MORE HERE
$50 million because a cup of honey and lemon tea burned the man’s genitals?
Really !?!?!?
Hey, I need to start doing more Starbuck’s drive-thru’s. I could use a fat check.
Handing cups of scorching hot liquid through two windows to distracted drivers fumbling to pay and reach out for flimsy cardboard trays a million of times a day–what could possibly go wrong?
This ridiculous verdict is the real crime.
A few more thoughts:
WHERE’S COMMON SENSE? –– My contention is—with a million transactions daily, there are going to be spills and accidents. Call it breakage. Most of the time, there’s a mutual breakdown in the handoff. No employee is going to intentionally burn a customer. So, the cups tip over, or the lid comes off, or whatever. Shit happens. Especially “law of large numbers.” This is certainty. Moreover, the establishment must make difficult if not impossible assessments as to HOW hot the liquid should be. If it’s not hot enough, it cools rapidly or is only lukewarm, then the customer is pissed or comes back in and wants another. Obviously, temperatures are going to vary by location, the device, etc. This isn’t nuclear fusion. It’s a fucking cup of coffee (or tea). Some inherent variance should be allowed. Finally, THE CUSTOMER has the entire burden in my view to receive the order and adhere to safety concerns. When the idiot is ordering three tall cups of hot liquid then sticking out alligator arms through two windows, its the customer who bears the burden of responsibility. Sure, perhaps the establishment should pay for some damages (though I’d like to see the NEGLIGENCE). But when you drive thru a business and order dangerously hot liquid, that’s on YOU. Contributory negligence is a factor here.
ARE THE BEVERAGES SERVED TOO HOT? — Let’s be realistic here. One major reason for Starbucks’ popularity is being able to order a beverage for take out and its still *hot* 5-10 minutes later upon consumption. So many offices have coffee brought in by someone. We’ve all experienced this. Unless that coffee begins at a very hot temperature, it’s going to be lukewarm (or cold) by the time it’s consumed. I’m sure Starbucks has worked this into the equation. So, millions of people get a hot coffee safely without incident each day, and then one clumsy idiot can’t hang onto a tray, burns his cock, sues, and ruins the whole sha-bang for everybody.
TRUE STORY — Yesterday afternoon, I was in a grocery store. Most of them now have a Starbucks in front. Marieta and I usually split a latte while shopping. I ordered a medium, and always tell the person to “SKIP THE LID.” I don’t use or need lids. I hate lids. But the lady (first time as I recall) instructed me that placing a lid was MANDATORY. Company policy. Maybe that’s because of this verdict, or similar lawsuits. I told her (politely) was was just going to instantly throw it away and she said the lid had to be fixed on the cup. I thought this was ridiculous because it’s probably MUCH MORE dangerous for me when I try to remove the tight lid, thus risking spillage and possible injury. Again, no common sense here. (if a customer says “NO LID,” then I would think that absolves the establishment from liability. If not, it should.).
