Man 'disfigured' after hot Starbucks tea spills on genitals
A man is suing Starbucks for negligence after he claims hot tea spilled onto his lap in the drive-thru, allegedly leaving him with “disfigured genitals”.
Tommy Piluyev visited the coffee chain in Roseville, Northern California, just before 10pm on October 5 in 2018 with his family, according to The Sacramento Bee.
The then 22-year-old and his wife, Liudmila Maftey, ordered two grande Honey Citrus Mint Teas, but something went terribly wrong when he went to pick them up, according to the lawsuit.
“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,” the lawsuit reads.
“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-thru 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 stripped off his sweat pants.”
Mr Piluyev rush himself to Sutter Roseville Medical Centre’s ER and later ended up in the UC Davis Medical Centre’s burn unit for 11 days, according to the lawsuit, the Sacramento Bee said.
He suffered burns and blisters on his lower abdomen, thighs, penis, scrotum, peritoneum and buttocks, the lawsuit claims.
The lawsuit also said he no longer plays the piano after allegedly also burning nine of his fingers.
“In the five months post-discharge Mr Piluyev gradually regained the ability to walk, the ability to sense touch in some of his fingers, the ability to hold his young child, and eventually, to use a computer keyboard,” it reads.
“The sensitivity and permanent skin discolouration and disfigurement of Mr Piluyev’s genitals and inner thighs made eventual intimacy awkward and painful.”
Mr Piluyev and his wife are also suing Pactiv Packaging Inc., which the lawsuit says makes the cups and lids.
A Starbucks spokesperson told The Sacramento Bee the company is looking into the allegations.
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