A California jury has ordered Starbucks to pay $50 million in damages to Michael Garcia, who suffered severe burns from a spilled hot tea at a Los Angeles drive-thru in February 2020.

The incident occurred when Garcia was handed a takeout tray containing multiple hot drinks. One drink was improperly secured, causing the tea to spill and inflict severe burns on his body, including his genitals. The injuries required multiple skin grafts and resulted in permanent disfigurement.

Garcia's legal team successfully argued that Starbucks failed to ensure drinks were properly secured before serving customers, demonstrating negligence and breach of duty of care.

Starbucks contested the claims, arguing that:

• Customers are responsible for careful handling of hot beverages
• Garcia's own negligence contributed to the spill
• The company follows strict safety protocols

The substantial $50 million verdict was influenced by:

• The severity of Garcia's permanent injuries
• Starbucks' rejected settlement offers of $3 million and $30 million
• Evidence of company negligence in securing the drinks
• Precedent set by similar cases, including the landmark McDonald's hot coffee lawsuit

Starbucks plans to appeal the verdict, calling the damages "excessive" while reaffirming their commitment to safety standards. The case could lead to enhanced safety protocols at drive-thrus nationwide and serves as a reminder of both customer caution and corporate responsibility in product safety.

The appeal process may extend over several months or years, but the case has already established itself as a significant precedent in consumer safety litigation.

Related Articles

Previous Articles