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Police Officer Sues Starbucks After Spilling Hot Coffee on Himself

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A police officer in North Carolina is suing Starbucks for $50,000 after he apparently spilled a free cup of coffee on himself.

In the latest legal battle over hot coffee, Raleigh police officer Matthew Korh says the lid popped off his coffee cup and then the cup caved in, spewing the liquid onto his lap and resulting in burns, blisters and emotional damage. Korh’s defense team began making his case on Monday for compensation of medical costs, attorney fees and damages, according to WRAL, and Kohr claims the stress of the incident aggravated his Crohn’s disease, leading to a surgery to remove part of his intestine.

Starbucks, for its part, refutes the claim since the coffee was free and says that out of about 4 billion cups from the same manufacturer that are served each year, there have been 59 similar incidents. Testimony is expected to start by the week’s end.

[WRAL]

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Write to Noah Rayman at noah.rayman@time.com