starbucks.jpg
Starbucks is being sued by a San Antonio woman who claims the lid on her green tea came off unexpectedly causing her serious burns when it spilled. (AP Photo/file)

Starbucks sued over spilled green tea

BY Chris Sullivan  on September 4, 2012 @ 4:38 am (Updated: 10:04 am - 9/4/12 )

Starbucks is being sued by a San Antonio woman who claims the lid on her green tea came off unexpectedly causing her serious burns when it spilled.

Christina Sturgess was pulling out of a Starbucks drive-thru in 2009 when she went for her first sip of her Venti green tea. The lid came off, and she was scalded. Her skin blistered, and she suffered second degree burns.

Her lawsuit claims the barista failed to properly secure the lid, and it claims Starbucks knew it had issues with its lids but did nothing about it. It cites other similar lid issues around the country.

The Seattlepi.com reports Sturgess is asking a King County court for unspecified damages to cover medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering.

Starbucks has yet to respond in court, though a spokesman is confident the green tea was made to industry standards.

Chris Sullivan, KIRO Radio Reporter
Chris loves the rush of covering breaking news and works hard to try to make sense of it all while telling stories about real people in extraordinary circumstances.
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Comments (20)


  • Add A Comment

  • Fuego wrote...
    So it's not possible...
    September 4, 2012 5:31 am
    that she dislodged the lid herself, hit a bump in the road and spilled the tea on herself? How much is she asking for in "pain and suffering"?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Concerned US Citizen wrote...
    Same thing
    September 4, 2012 5:46 am
    I had the same thing happen to me last week with their large coffee. It was in the console and I went to pick it up and the cup collapsed. It burned my hand so that I felt it for a couple of days and spilled hot coffee all over the car. They may be trying to be green by using less paper in their coffee cups or save money but DON'T BE SO CHEAP THAT YOU BURN YOUR CUSTOMERS!!!! I will go to McDonalds as they have a sturdy cup and their coffee is way cheaper and tastes just as good to me!!!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Country_Dog wrote...
    I suffer second degree burns all the time at work
    September 4, 2012 5:48 am
    suck it up, lady. Second degree is not a big deal.

    And at the range, I had a casing fly up and lodge between my forehead and safety glasses, and before I could sweep it away I had a second degree burn. Yeah, it stung, but whatever.

    Get out of your overprotective bubble lady!

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • cdbtx wrote...
    People are fortunate
    September 4, 2012 6:58 am
    that it spilled instead of distracting her from putting her makeup on as she's driving.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Oly80 wrote...
    the mcdonald's lady is a cautionary tale...
    September 4, 2012 7:04 am
    be careful.

    remember the lady who burned her legs with the mcdonald's coffee and sued? if you actually READ the outcome of that case, the lady only got enough money to cover her medical bills. this lady will be lucky to get that. people are WAY to egar to sue. they don't realize what a pain is really is to go through with it.

    people never learn.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    Have to agree with you Oly80
    September 4, 2012 8:05 am
    This is just another example of stupidity, in the form of pain, leaving the body. Something tells me this woman has far more pain to suffer in her life!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Honus wrote...
    Read the outcome...
    September 5, 2012 1:29 am
    Good advice. Try taking it yourself.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Mike in Pioneer Square wrote...
    Nonsense, US Citizen
    September 4, 2012 7:12 am
    Starbucks cups are just as sturdy as those of any other restaurant. Here's a clue: Don't grab a cup of hot coffee or tea from the top because when you compress it in your angry fist, the lid pops off. Also, I wouldn't be surprised if this women grabbed her green tea by the *lid* itself.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • thatgirl wrote...
    Hot Coffee/Tea
    September 4, 2012 8:43 am
    So when you order a hot beverage wouldn't you expect it to be HOT and use due caution??? I have been going through the Starbucks drive thru 2-3 times weekly for at least the past 10 years (yes I am an addict) and have NEVER had a problem with "faulty" cups or lids.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • kata wrote...
    ...
    September 4, 2012 9:22 am
    bring your own cup?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • RedHatLady wrote...
    Hot Tea
    September 4, 2012 9:50 am
    I agree with a lot of the posters, you order hot liquid, be careful. My question is - why is she waiting 3 yrs to file a suit?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • guest32 wrote...
    3 yrs
    September 4, 2012 10:01 am
    because the lawyer knows that at 3 yrs the witnesses will be unavailable, thier memories long gone and thus will settle. very typical in lawsuits to wait till the day before the statute of limitations takes affect.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Dark Jedi wrote...
    Double check!
    September 4, 2012 11:06 am
    I always double check my lids on any drink that has a lid. A long time ago I had a large Burger King soda spill all over my old car's interior because the lid was not securely put on. I didn't sue Burger King for the HOURS of clean up time I had to put into it or the white shirt the soda ruined.

    If I was on the jury.. my award would be $5,000.00

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }