Starbucks Corp. Wednesday responded to a lawsuit by a woman suing the coffee chain for injuries allegedly received from a spilled hot drink, saying the plaintiff's claims are "without merit."
Want to get caught up on what's happening in SoCal every weekday afternoon? Click to follow The L.A. Local wherever you get podcasts.
Sabrina Michelle Hermes' Norwalk Superior Court negligence suit was filed Thursday, seeking unspecified general and special damages, including reimbursement for past and future medical costs and lost earnings.
"We have always been committed to the highest safety standards in our stores, including the handling of hot drinks," a Starbucks representative said in a statement issued Wednesday. "We are aware of Ms. Hermes' claims and firmly believe they are without merit. We look forward to presenting our case in court."
According to the suit, Hermes went to the Starbucks store in the 11000 block of Firestone Boulevard on April 2, 2023 and bought hot drinks in the drive-thru. But because one cup was not properly secured, the liquid spilled onto various parts of her body, including her legs, a hip, thighs, a knee and her feet, causing serious injuries, the suit states.
Starbucks "owed a duty to exercise reasonable care with respect to the preparation, handling and service of hot beverages so as to prevent them from spilling onto and injuring customers such as plaintiff," the suit states.
Recently, a Los Angeles Superior Court jury ordered Starbucks to pay $50 million to Postmates delivery driver Michael Garcia, who suffered third- degree burns after a hot drink spilled on him in February 2020 due to an improperly secured lid after his order was handed to him at a South Los Angeles drive-thru.
Follow KNX News 97.1 FM
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok