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An incident from 2015 where a woman found herself scalded with hot tea served from a Denver Starbucks landed in U.S. District Court on Wednesday. The Denver Post reports that Deanna Salas-Solano filed a lawsuit seeking more than $75,000 “after she and her dog were severely scalded when an improperly lidded cup of very hot tea spilled on them at a Denver Starbucks drive-thru window.” The woman claims the injuries disfigured her and killed her dog. Salas-Solano claims that two percent her body suffered second-degree burns on her thighs and abdomen. She underwent skin grafts at Swedish Medical Center Burn and Reconstructive Unit.
Her dog Alexander died at an emergency veterinarian hospital after hot tea spilled on him when he jumped on her lap. A Starbucks official says the allegations are not true.
“We are sympathetic to Ms. Salas-Solano and the injuries she sustained and our hearts go out to her on the loss of her dog. However, we have video evidence that clearly contradicts the claims made by the plaintiff and believe they are without merit. We don’t have any reason to believe our partner (employee) was at fault,” Starbucks tells Eater Denver in a written statement.
The incident occurred on Sept. 27, 2015, at a Starbucks at 5835 Leetsdale Drive, where according to Salas-Solano, she ordered a 20-ounce hot tea at the drive-thru window. The lawsuit accuses Starbucks employee Delaney Skaarer of improperly securing the lid. Salas-Solano also claims the tea was not double cupped and didn’t have a hot cup sleeve.
The lawsuit goes on to reveal that the hot tea burned her hands and tea spilled from the unsecured lid and onto her body. She claims her dog, Alexander, jumped on her lap and she spilled the hot tea on him as well.
The Denver Post reports that the lawsuit seeks “compensatory damages in excess of $75,000 for injuries that included disfigurement, severe burns, emotional distress, lost wages and physical impairment.”
• Woman and dog scalded in botched tea hand off at Denver Starbucks [Denver Post]
• All Lawsuits [EDEN]