Starbucks agrees to pay out £75k to girl not given tray to carry tea
The girl suffered burns on her arms at the time of the incident.
Starbucks in Ireland has agreed to pay £75,000 to a schoolgirl who was scalded when trying to carry drinks without the provision of a tray.
Demi Mooney, who was 12 during the incident, suffered burns on her arms when freshly-made hot tea spilled as she was carrying it in a Dublin branch of Starbucks four years ago.
Ireland’s High Court heard that she was holding a Frappuccino coffee in her left hand, a cookie in her right and the tea between her elbow and ribs when the tea spilt on her.
In her action, brought on her behalf by her mother, Siobhan Mooney, it was claimed that she should have been provided with a tray for the hot drinks, particularly as she was a child.
Coffee Unlimited Company, trading as Starbucks, fully contested the case and the court heard there were issues of whether she had been offered a tray and of contributory negligence.
According to the Irish Independent, Michael Byrne SC said an offer of €85,000 (£75,000) had been made by the defendant for the younger Mooney. It added that Justice Simons was satisfied to approve the offer, as it would come “very close” to what a judge might decide the case was worth if it were successful at trial.
