A Florida woman was awarded $100,000 Thursday after being severely burned when the lid of her Starbucks coffee cup popped off and poured scalding hot coffee on her lap.
Joanne Mogavero, a 43-year-old mother of three, suffered first and second-degree burns to her mid-section when the lid of her 20-ounce coffee popped off, spilling 190-degree coffee on her lap, according to a statement from Mogavero's attorneys.
"My client didn’t want sympathy from the jury — she wanted justice — and the jury gave it to her with its verdict,” attorney Steve Earle said. “It was good to see a just result."
Mogavero's attorneys argued that Starbucks should warn its customers of the lids’ tendency to pop off. A Starbucks representative testified during the trial that the company receives 80 complaints a month about lid leaks and lids popping off, according to the statement.
A Jacksonville jury awarded Mogavero $85,000 for pain and suffering, physical impairment, disfigurement, inconvenience, and loss of capacity for enjoyment of life, and about $15,000 for the medical bills.
