Houston lawyer sues Starbucks for alleged burns from spilled coffee
A Houston lawyer says in a lawsuit that a barista spilled hot coffee on her, causing burns to her lap and such excruciating pain that she had to remain on her hands and knees while a colleague rushed her to the hospital.
The lawyer, Katherine Mize, claims in the suit that the coffee was so hot that it was unreasonably dangerous, report Texas Lawyer (sub. req.), the SE Texas Record, Click2Houston and the Houston Press.
According to the suit, an employee named Brie spilled the coffee when Mize was using a drive-up window in July 2014. Brie squeezed the coffee cup, causing the lid to pop off and the coffee to shower on Mize. Neither Brie nor any other employee of the Houston Starbucks tried to help, the suit says.
Mize is seeking up to $1 million in damages. Her lawyer, Brian Humphrey, told Texas Lawyer that Mize had to be treated for lost skin in her lap area. The injury “was pretty serious” and resulted in scarring, he said.
Starbucks issued a statement saying the health and safety of its customers and employees is always a top priority. “We are evaluating the customer’s claims and determining the appropriate next steps,” the statement said.
