*WARNING: CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGE*
A man in the US is suing Starbucks, claiming a spilt cup of tea left his genitals disfigured.
Tommy Piluyev and his family pulled up at one of the coffee chain’s drive-thrus in Roseville, California, in October 2018.
But the 24-year-old was left with severe burns shortly after ordering two grande-sized Honey Citrus Mint Teas and now he is suing Starbucks and Pactiv Packaging, which provides the cups and lids.
Piluyev says the spilt drink has done lasting damage. Credit: Tommy Piluyev/Whitney Davis
According to The Sacramento Bee, his lawsuit reads: “As the window associate reached to the SUV’s window sill to deliver the second sleeved and lidded cup to Mr. Piluyev, the lid lost its seal with the cup lip and dislodged from the top of the cup.
“Hot tea spilled on Mr. Piluyev’s left hand during the transfer, the cup overturned on the window sill and hot tea poured onto Mr. Piluyev’s hands, stomach and pelvic area.
“Covered in scalding tea, and unable to open his door to escape because he was near the drive-through window, Mr. Piluyev quickly put the SUV into gear and accelerated from the window. He pulled into an adjacent parking lot, hastily exited the vehicle and stripped off his sweat pants.”
Piluyev subsequently spent 11 days in the burn unit at UC Davis Medical Center, sustaining ‘partial-thickness burns with blistering across the lower left abdomen, thighs, penis, scrotum, peritoneum and buttocks’, according to the suit.
Piluyev was badly burnt by the tea. Credit: Tommy Piluyev/Whitney Davis
Upon discharge, Piluyev was left with lasting damage, which obstructed intimacy, the suit alleges.
It reads: “The sensitivity and permanent skin discolouration and disfigurement of Mr. Piluyev’s genitals and inner thighs made eventual intimacy awkward and painful.”
Piluyev’s lawyer Whitney Davis said that while his client had improved in some ways, it has been a long process.
Speaking to CBS 13, he said: “The nerves have grown back and healed back and he learned to walk again. Because that took a while to learn how to walk again with those comprehensive injuries around that whole section of your body.”
Starbucks said it takes 'great pride' in delivering safe beverages. Credit: PA
Davis claims the defendants were aware of 80 complaints a day relating to lids coming off cups, as well as employees and managers suffering burns due to ‘defective cups and lids’.
In a statement, Starbucks said: “We are currently evaluating the claim. Our partners take great pride in ensuring our beverages are crafted with care and delivered to customers safely. We take our responsibility to provide a safe environment seriously and will continue to do so.”
LADbible has contacted Pactiv Packaging for comment.
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