Starbucks Accident Claims Guide – How To Claim Compensation For A Personal Injury In Starbucks?

Have you been injured in an accident in a Starbucks cafe? If so, this guide contains all the information you need to know about making a personal injury claim. Our guide takes you through the different forms of accident and injury which you can sustain whilst in a branch of Starbucks, and how to claim compensation for them. We also fully explain what no win no fee means, and how you can make a claim in this way.

Starbucks accident claimsStarbucks branches (whether cafe’s concessions at airports or other locations, or drive throughs) in the UK are owned and operated as a franchise. This means that they are owned and/ or operated by smaller individual companies. Across the world, there are approximately 11,913 branches or outlets of Starbucks, a number which Starbucks plans to potentially double.

Starbucks owes both their customers and their staff a duty of care whilst people are on Starbucks premises. Injury or illness caused by an accident can, on occasion, be due to the busy environment. If there is not enough space for people to move safety about the store, people can end up being harmed. Other common causes of Starbucks accidents can include people falling over due to a slippery floor, scalds and burns or staff not being properly trained.

If you have been injured as a result of an accident which was not your fault whilst in a Starbucks, it is possible that either staff or the operator has been negligent in some way, breaching their duty of care. If the right safeguards are not put in place to protect customers or staff, the owner can be held accountable for your injury.

Read on to find out more about claiming for an injury at Starbucks, and when you are ready, you can find our contact details at the bottom this page.

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A Guide To Claiming Compensation For An Accident Or Injury In Starbucks

In this guide we take potential claimants through everything which they may need to know if hurt in a branch of Starbucks as a result of someone else’s action. We will look at the circumstances of accidents which can happen, and resulting injuries. We will also set out how our personal injury claims team can help you.

What Is An Accident In A Starbucks?

The easiest and most obvious answer to this is that they are accidents which have happened in a Starbucks cafe and which could have been avoided in some way if those responsible had take the right steps to do so. They may include a chair breaking under a customer, spillages not having been cleaned up, or people being burned. No matter the type of accident, if you were hurt in an accident caused by someone else and which could have been avoided, you could make a claim.

What Are Accident Claims Against A Starbucks Franchise?

As Starbucks coffee shops are often operated as a franchise in the UK, the party you are making a claim against may be the franchise holder, or Starbucks, depending upon where liability lays. To find out who is the party responsible for your injury, please talk to us and we can investigate the circumstances of your accident and injury.

Am I Eligible To Claim Compensation For An Accident In Starbucks?

In order to make a successful personal injury claim you need to show several things. You will need to show that you are making your claim within the personal injury claims time limit. This is commonly three years from the time of the accident or the time your injuries were diagnosed. Next you need to show that someone else caused you accident, and that person had an obligation to keep you safe. This could be Starbucks as a whole, the franchise holder or a manager at the branch not fulfilling their obligation to keep customers or employees safe in the coffee shop. If you can show you meet these initial criteria, you may be able to make a compensation claim.

What Types Of Accidents In Starbucks Could You Claim Compensation For?

There are numerous ways in which accidents can happen and people be injured in any cafe or coffee shop. Some of the most frequent or common causes of accidents in locations such as this include,

  • Slips and falls due to wet flooring,
  • Burns caused by foods, beverages, food preparation equipment.
  • Claims can be made for a Starbucks customer burn or employee burn.
  • Food poisoning Or Food Allergies
  • Damaged or broken facilities, such as tables and chairs.
  • Food preparation injuries.

In the sections below, we will look at the most common forms of accident and injuries which may result from them. As already stated, many of these accidents and injuries can happen to anyone on the premises at the time.

I Was Burned By A Hot Drink, Can I Claim Compensation From Starbucks?

Being burned by a hot drink can be a common customer or Starbucks workplace injury. Burns can be caused by drinks, water, milk, or extremely hot steam coming into contact with a person. In the USA a Starbucks customer was served a drink which was far too hot. She instinctively let go of it due to the heat, spilling the beverage on her do. The drink was served far too hot and with no protective sleeve on the takeaway cup. The woman also required skin grafts to her had. As we can see, even coming into contact with a very hot liquid for a brief few seconds can be enough to cause serious injuries.

If you do suffer a burn injury due to a liquid (or due to food which we shall examine in our next section), there are several steps the NHS recommends you take:

  1. Wash the burn in warm running water for 20 minutes.
  2. Remove Jewellery or clothes which are close to the skin.
  3. Keep the person warm.
  4. Place cling film over the burn after washing.
  5. If the head or face is burned, sit up rather than laying down.
  6. Always seek medical care as soon as possible.

No matter if you need to make a Starbucks workplace injury claim for a burn, or were burned as a customer or member of the public, contact our team today.

I Was Burned By Hot Food, Can I Claim Compensation From Starbucks?

If you were burned due to hot food in a Starbucks you can make a Starbucks injury claim, as a member of staff or a customer. Whilst Starbucks does not operate equipment such as deep fat fryers, they still use hot sandwich presses which can get to very high temperatures. When cooking or serving foods, staff must ensure they are not exposing themselves or other members of staff to the risk of being burned by the equipment or the foods prepared.

If people handle or eat foods which are too hot, they can suffer burns to their hands. Mouth, and/ or throat. Such burns should not be taken lightly as they can take a long time ad a lot of treatment to recover from.

If you were burned because your food was served to you too hot, please contact our team to make a compensation claim today.

Can I Claim Compensation For A Slip, Trip, Or Fall In A Starbucks?

The quickest answer to this is yes, you can if Starbucks is at fault. There are numerous ways in which people can slip or trip over whilst in a Starbucks (or any other cafe). As one of the most common forms of accident leading to injuries, they can commonly happen to both employees and customers alike. As with many forms of accident, the injuries sustained can vary from the mild to the serious.

Food preparation and serving areas can often be small and quite crowded, especially at buisier times. This combined with lots of equipment and the preparation of beverages and foods can create many potential trip hazards. Those working in similar employment settings have even tripped over and suffered serious burns by reaching out and touching extremely hot equipment whilst falling. Food storage and preparation areas can also be susceptible to leaks from fridges, or damaged food containers. Any such spillages should be cleaned up promptly.

Whether you were an employee or a customer, if you were injured due to a slip, trip, or fall in a Starbucks cafe, please call our team today to start your personal injury claim.

Poisoning From Food Or Drink

According to statistics from the UK’s Food Standards Agency, as many as half a million people each year are affected by food poisoning. We don’t have statistics for those affected by food poisoning in establishments such as Starbucks. In the majority of instances, food poisoning will get better in just a few days.

If you have suffered from food poisoning, it is important to act as quickly as possible to collect any and all evidence possible to increase your chances of making a successful claim.

Common symptoms of food poisoning

The symptoms of food poisoning could vary between minor discomfort, through to much more serious effects. Some of the most common are:

  • Stomach cramping
  • Vomiting and/ or diarrhoea
  • Blood in your stool
  • High temperatures and even fever

Recommended Health And Safety For Coffee Shops

Both Starbucks, and the owners and operators of their franchises are required to adhere to specific health and safety standards. As well as needing ensure that they are in compliance with any relevant legislation, Starbucks should also follow recommendations provided by the Health and Safety Executive. You can find information on standards in catering and hospitality here. Examples of what Starbucks should be doing, includes the removal of anything which could cause a hazard and maintaining an environment which is safe for their customers, employees, and anyone else entering their preemies. These steps to prevent employee or customer injuries may include:

  1. Fixing broken or damaged flooring, as well as fixing or replacing any appliance, equipment, or furniture which is damaged.
  2. Any leaks or spillages of foods or liquids, should immediately be cleaned and cleared up. If this is not possible, signs should be placed accordingly.
  3. Foods and drinks should be stored and prepared in the appropriate way to prevent either illness from food poisoning, or injury from foods being too hot (e.g. someone being hurt by a burn from coffee).
  4. Staff should always be trained to be able to carry out their duties safely.
  5. Any additional safety signs should be displayed as appropriate.

If Starbucks has not complied with these steps, and you were injured as a result, you could be eligible to claim compensation.

Starbucks Accident At Work Claims

As well as customers, delivery people, and other members of the public, Starbucks (as an employer) has primary responsibility for the health and safety of their employees when at work. As an employer Starbucks states that it has a responsibility to advocate for policies and practices which secure the health and safety of their employees. You can find information on the Starbucks injury policy on their UK website.

As in any high pressure and busy workplace, those employees who are under the greatest pressure can be more likely to sustain an accident. As they need to operate coffee machines with extremely hot water, milks, and steam, and equipment to heat or cut foods, Baristas are more at risk or sustaining a Starbucks work related injury. If Barista staff have had insufficient training in using equipment, or not been provided with either health and safety instruction, or PPE equipment, they could suffer an injury. Whilst with the correct training and process in places, it is not impossible for an employee to be burned at a Starbucks.

As well as insufficient training, time pressures created by there not being enough staff to serve customers can create stressful and rushed situations. Such environments are also more likely to strain employees and cause workplace injuries. If you have sustained a Starbucks employee injury, speak to our team about claiming compensation today.

What Should I Do After An Accident Or Injury In Starbucks?

If you have been involved in any type of accident or injury which was not your fault, there are several steps which you could take. Completing these will steps will help your personal injury lawyer to be able to build a better case.

The most immediate step is to get your injury treated. This might mean visiting a GP surgery, healthcare centre, hospital, depending on your injury. This creates an official record of your injury, and the treatment which is provided to you. Ask for a copy of this report to pass on to a personal injury lawyer at a later stage.

When your accident takes place, make sure that you report the accident and your injuries to the manager, or party responsible for the location your injury took place in. In this case, this would be the branch manager.

Take photographs of the area around your accident, including the cause if possible. If you can also take photographs of your injury very soon after it happened this can also be used as evidence. Similarly, ask if anyone who saw what happened to you if they can serve as a witness.

Your final step should then be to contact our team and begin your claim.

What Can My Starbucks Accident Claim Include Compensation For?

How much compensation you could be owed will depend upon the unique circumstances of your accident. In general, claims will be made up of special damages and general damages. In our personal injury claims calculator (below), we look at how much your general damages could be. General damages are awarded for pain, suffering, and any mental health symptoms. Next, you can also claim special damages. Put simply, this is compensation for any way in which you have financially suffered. It could include expenses or costs you have had to pay for medical treatment or medication, any income or earnings you have lost, or the costs incurred in care you need. This might include a care at home. View our compensation claims calculator below to see example compensation amounts.

Starbucks Accident And Injury Compensation Claims Calculator

As we stated in the previous section, the largest part of any personal injury claim, such as for an injury at Starbucks, is that of general damages paid out for the actual harm caused to you (namely the accident or injury).

In this table we have included examples of how much compensation you could be entitled to claim for a variety of different injuries. Remember when looking at these amounts. These are example amounts, and how much compensation you will be awarded will depend upon your individual circumstances.

Personal injury claims calculator

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Reason for compensation Settlement range Comments and further injury notes
Loss of income (anticipated earning) £10,000 – £400,000 The higher your usual income or salary and its projections for the future, the higher your award will be.
Loss of income (benefits) £5,000 – £500,000 It is possible to be awarded more than the ‘maximum’ in some cases. Your individual circumstances are taken into consideration.
Physical pain, suffering. £1,000 – £200,000 How much suffering or pain you have felt will help set the compensation award.
Mental suffering and any anguish £3,550 This is awarded where there is a genuine worry about the end of your life.
Very serious/ severe facial scarring and disfigurement in women £36,800 – £74,000 Higher awards are made for younger women, between their teens and 30’s. Awards are also higher where there is a psychological effect.
Trivial facial scarring and/ or disfigurement in women £1,300 – £2,675 Such settlements are for very minor awards.
Very serious or severe facial scarring and disfigurement in men £22,625 – £50,000 As with women, the awards are higher for men between their teens and 30’s. Any psychologial symptoms are taken into account.
Less significant or less severe facial scarring and disfigurement in men £3,000 – £6,295 Cases where you can only see the scar upon closer inspection.
Moderate hand injuries £5,110 – £11,640 This is awarded for deeper or more significant lacerations and cuts. Surgery may be needed to fix the cut.
Serious finger injuries £13,080 – £14,330 Will include long term injuries which affect or restrict the usage of the affected finger.

For a more detailed estimate of how much your Starbucks injury claim could be worth, please contact our specialist team today.

No Win No Fee Compensation Claims For An Accident In A Starbucks

One of the biggests factors which affects whether or not the victim of an accident will make a personal injury claim is not their eligibility to do so, but the costs of doing to. People often worry that if they take legal action to seek compensation they could be left with a big bill from a solicitor (which they can’t pay) if they don’t win their case. A conditional fee or no win no fee agreement is a way you can use a personal injury solicitor, without needing to pay any upfront solicitors fees.

If you are offered a personal injury solicitor through our agreement, you will only be sent a bill for their services if you win your claim. There are absolutely no financial risks in making a personal injury claim in this way.

When you first contact our team we will assess whether we think you are eligible to seek damages for your injury at a Starbucks. If you are and have a good chance of making a claim, we will then be able to provide you with a solicitor. If you win your claim, the personal injury lawyers fee can be deducted from your settlement. However, since 2013 the amount claims are valued at has been raised by 10% to help offset these costs.

Remember, if you do choose to make your claim with one of our personal injury solicitors under a no win no fee agreement, you will not need any up front payments

Speak To Our Team Today

When you are ready to begin your claim for compensation after an accident in Starbucks, you should call our team. Our advisors are ready to answer your call and begin work on your personal injury claim today. Whether you are making a claim for an accident at work in Starbucks, or were burned because your coffee was served to you far too hot, we are here to help.

The best ways to get in touch with us are as follows:

Tel: 0800 073 8801
Email: Office@AccidentClaims.co.uk

Additional Helpful Guides And Information

In this guide to claiming compensation for an accident in Starbucks we have provided all the information you need to make a personal injury claim. However, these additional guides contain extra useful information about similar types of claim. We have also included recommendations for trusted external resources.

Restaurant Accident Claims
Have you been injured in an accident in a restaurant? If so, you can find out more about circumstances in which you can claim compensation in this handy guide.

Hot Drink Scald And Burn Claims
If you have been seriously burned or scalded by a hot drink in a cafe, restaurant, or other establishment find out more about how serious these injuries can be, and how to claim compensation in this guide.

Accidents In A Public Place
If you have suffered an accident in a public place, find out more about the best way to get the compensation you are owed here.

How To Treat A Scald Or Burn
In this NHS guide you can find out how to provide first aid to victims of burns and scalds.