A jury in California has awarded a Los Angeles delivery driver, Michael Garcia, $50 million in damages after he suffered severe burns from hot tea spilled on him at a Starbucks drive-through in 2020. Garcia received multiple skin grafts and underwent medical treatments on his genitals due to the incident. The lawsuit claims that the barista negligently failed to secure one of the hot drinks into a container, causing it to fall out and into Garcia’s lap.
The company plans to appeal the jury’s decision, saying it disagrees with the verdict and believes the damages awarded are excessive. However, Garcia’s lawyers argue that this verdict is crucial in holding Starbucks accountable for its failure to prioritize customer safety.
This case bears similarities to another high-profile burn incident involving Stella Liebeck, who suffered severe burns from spilling coffee on her lap at a McDonald’s drive-through in 1992.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/17/business/starbucks-driver-burn-verdict.html