A delivery driver has been awarded $50 million in a lawsuit after suffering severe burns when a Starbucks drink spilled onto his lap at a drive-through in California.
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A Los Angeles County jury ruled in favor of Michael Garcia on Friday, March 14. Per the Associated Press, the case stemmed from a traumatic incident on Feb. 8, 2020, when a venti-sized tea spilled shortly after he received it.
The accident led to severe injuries, requiring skin grafts and other medical procedures on his genitals. According to his attorneys, Garcia has endured permanent, life-altering disfigurement as a result.
Garcia sued Starbucks for negligence. He claimed that his injuries were caused by an employee not securing the hot drink properly in a takeout tray.
“This jury verdict is a critical step in holding Starbucks accountable for flagrant disregard for customer safety and failure to accept responsibility,” one of Garcia’s attorneys, Nick Rowley, explained in a statement via the AP.
Starbucks Plans to Appeal $50 Million Payout to Man Burned by Hot Tea
Starbucks expressed sympathy for Garcia but announced plans to appeal.
“We disagree with the jury’s decision that we were at fault for this incident. [We] believe the damages awarded to be excessive,” the behemoth coffee chain explained in a statement. The Seattle-based company also stated that it is “committed to the highest safety standards” when handling hot drinks.
Starbucks claimed that Garcia’s negligence and lack of ordinary care contributed to the spill, which occurred at their location on 1789 West Jefferson Blvd.
According to Rowley, as reported by the Daily Journal via Fox News, the company initially offered $3 million before trial. He claims they later increased the settlement offer to $30 million.
Garcia initially agreed, provided the company issued an apology and updated its safety standards. However, the company refused, according to Rowley.
Meanwhile, restaurants in the U.S. have previously been sued over incidents involving customer burns.
Of course, one example became infamous. In the 1990s, a New Mexico jury awarded nearly $3 million to a woman who suffered severe burns while trying to remove the lid from a cup of coffee bought at a McDonald’s drive-through. However, the judge later reduced the amount. The case was eventually settled for an undisclosed figure, reportedly under $600,000, per the AP.
In some cases, juries have ruled in favor of restaurants, such as a 1990s incident in Iowa where a child accidentally spilled a cup of McDonald’s coffee on himself.