Man sues Starbucks after genitalia scalded by tea

A man is suing Starbucks claiming he was so severely scalded by a hot tea he spent 11 days in a burns unit and was left unable to play the piano or be intimate with his partner.

Tommy Piluyev was at a Starbucks in Roseville, California in 2018, when he claims the lid on his tea came loose, spilling scalding hot liquid across his hands, stomach, thighs and genitalia.

Mr Piluyev has now filed a suit against Starbucks Corporation and Pactiv Packaging Inc. accusing both companies of negligence and product liability, according to CBS Sacramento.

The suit claims Mr Piluyev had been picking up a drive through coffee order when the hot tea fell on him while being handed over by a Starbucks worker.

Mr Piluyev was in a burns unit for 11 days following the incident. Photo / CBS Sacramento

"It fell on the window sill and then came over on him," Mr Piluyev's lawyer Whitney Davis said. "There's third-degree burns on his fingers, second- and third-degree burns on his pelvic area."

The alleged victim spent 11 days in a burns unit at UC Davis Medical Centre, the lawsuit claims, saying the injuries were so severe that he now finds it painful and awkward to be intimate. His lawyer said he had to relearn how to walk after recovering from the injuries.

The man suffered third degree burns on his hands. Photo / CBS Sacramento

The lawsuit claims Starbucks was aware of the defective lids and claimed 80 complaints were made a day by employees about the packaging.

Starbucks said in a statement it was assessing the claims.

"Our partners take great pride in ensuring our beverages are crafted with care and delivered to customers safely," the company said.

"We take our responsibility to provide a safe environment seriously and will continue to do so."

Mr Davis said his client still requires further laser treatments and plastic surgery to treat the scarring from the incident.