Fort Lauderdale Man Seeks $15,000 Against Starbucks For Hot Coffee Spill

Seattle-based coffee giant Starbucks is in hot water after a Fort Lauderdale man recently filed a $15,000 lawsuit alleging he received second-degree burns as a result of an employee’s negligence. The plaintiff claims he suffered burns to his groin area when the employee failed to properly secured the cup’s lid as he passed the beverage through the drive-thru window.

The lawsuit was filed January 5, 2016 in Broward County Circuit Court. According to the claim, the plaintiff was ordering breakfast from the drive-thru window on May 25 2015 when he received the burns. During the exchange, the hot cup of coffee slipped into the plaintiff’s lap and burned the man’s groin area, according to the suit.

Claiming the coffee was exceedingly hot, unfit for human consumption, and dangerous, the plaintiff alleges negligence on the part of Starbucks and the employee. Starbucks faces another, similar lawsuit in Oregon over burns caused by hot water, asking for $132,000.

Perhaps the most famous case of a coffee-related burn lawsuit was the case of a New Mexico woman who successfully sued McDonald’s for over $2.8 million after suffering serious burns from a 190 degree cup of coffee. That judgement was later reduced to just over $600,000 before a confidential settlement was reached between the two parties. The plaintiff originally sought a more modest amount of $20,000 to cover her medical bills and pain and suffering before she was forced to file suit.

Burn injury lawsuits

Lawsuits seeking damages caused by negligence center on allegations one party breached their duty to act in a reasonable manner to prevent placing others at undue risk. Victims able to show they suffered an injury and subsequent damages due to someone else’s inability to behave in a responsible manner may be entitled to compensation for their damages.

Florida tort laws allow injured victims to seek compensation for hospital bills, medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, and pain and suffering for injuries caused by someone’s negligence. While the law gives individuals the right to hold wrongdoers responsible for tortious acts, the road to justice is not always easy.

Wrongdoers often attempt to downplay the physical and emotional injuries victims face and attempt to pay settlements below what the injury should prescribe. Speaking to an experienced lawyer about your claim can help give you a chance to understand your legal rights and try to get the compensation you need to be made whole again.

Fort Lauderdale personal injury lawyers

If you were hurt in an accident caused by someone else’s reckless or careless behavior, contact the Pendas Law Firm for a consultation about your case. Our lawyers represent clients in the Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Orlando, Fort Myers, Tampa, and Jacksonville areas.