Starbucks Loses $50M Lawsuit After Driver Burned by Hot Tea \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ A California delivery driver won a $50 million lawsuit after suffering severe burns from a spilled Starbucks tea. A jury found Starbucks negligent, stating the drink wasn’t securely placed in a takeout tray. The coffee giant plans to appeal, arguing the verdict and damages were excessive.
Starbucks Hot Tea Lawsuit: Quick Looks
- Verdict: A Los Angeles jury awarded Michael Garcia $50 million in damages.
- Incident: The injury occurred when a Starbucks employee failed to secure a venti-sized hot tea in a takeout tray.
- Injuries: Garcia suffered severe burns, requiring skin grafts and other medical procedures.
- Starbucks Response: The company expressed sympathy but disagreed with the ruling and plans to appeal.
- Historical Context: The case echoes past lawsuits, including the 1990s McDonald’s coffee spill case.
Deep Look
A California delivery driver has been awarded $50 million in damages after a scalding-hot Starbucks tea spilled onto his lap at a drive-through, causing severe burns and life-changing injuries. A Los Angeles County jury found Starbucks responsible for the incident, ruling in favor of Michael Garcia, who filed a negligence lawsuit against the coffee giant.
The jury determined that Starbucks employees failed to secure the hot beverage properly in a takeout tray, leading to the spill that left Garcia with permanent disfigurement. Despite the ruling, Starbucks strongly disagrees with the verdict and has announced plans to appeal the decision.
A Devastating Incident at a California Drive-Through
The accident took place on February 8, 2020, when Garcia, a delivery driver, stopped at a Starbucks drive-through in Los Angeles County to pick up a venti-sized hot tea. According to court records, a Starbucks employee handed him the scalding drink in a takeout tray. Moments later, the cup tipped over, spilling its boiling-hot contents onto Garcia’s lap and groin area.
The injuries were immediate and excruciating. Garcia suffered severe burns and had to undergo multiple skin grafts and painful medical procedures to treat the damage. His attorneys emphasized that the injuries caused permanent disfigurement and drastically altered his quality of life.
Negligence Claims Against Starbucks
Garcia’s legal team argued that the accident could have been completely avoided if Starbucks employees had taken proper precautions when handing over the drink. The lawsuit specifically claimed that the worker who served Garcia his tea failed to wedge the cup securely into the takeout tray, making it prone to tipping over.
This alleged negligence became the central issue in the trial, as Garcia’s lawyers insisted that Starbucks has a responsibility to ensure customer safety, particularly when serving dangerously hot beverages.
During the court proceedings, Garcia’s legal team presented medical evidence, including photos and expert testimony, to highlight the severity of his burns and the lifelong consequences of the injury.
Starbucks Disputes Verdict, Plans to Appeal
Following the jury’s decision, Starbucks issued a statement expressing sympathy for Garcia’s injuries but maintained that it was not at fault for the accident.
“We disagree with the jury’s decision that we were at fault for this incident and believe the damages awarded to be excessive.”
The company also emphasized its commitment to high safety standards in the preparation and handling of hot drinks, arguing that its employees follow strict protocols to prevent such accidents.
Given the high financial stakes of the case, Starbucks has confirmed that it will appeal the verdict, hoping to overturn or reduce the $50 million awarded to Garcia.
A History of Hot Beverage Lawsuits
Garcia’s case is not the first high-profile lawsuit involving severe burns from a hot drink. In fact, the food and beverage industry has faced multiple legal battles over the years, with one of the most famous cases being the 1992 McDonald’s coffee lawsuit.
In that case, a New Mexico woman, Stella Liebeck, was awarded nearly $3 million in damages after suffering third-degree burns from McDonald’s coffee that was served at 180-190°F—far hotter than what is considered safe for consumption. The case gained national attention, sparking debate over corporate responsibility and customer safety. Eventually, the settlement was reduced, and McDonald’s quietly settled for under $600,000.
While the Liebeck case resulted in a win for the plaintiff, not all hot beverage lawsuits have been successful. In another 1990s case, a jury ruled in favor of McDonald’s after a child accidentally spilled hot coffee on himself in Iowa, determining that the restaurant was not at fault.
What This Means for Future Lawsuits
The $50 million awarded to Garcia marks one of the largest hot beverage injury settlements in history and could set a new legal precedent for future cases involving customer injuries at restaurants and coffee chains.
Legal experts predict that companies like Starbucks and McDonald’s may need to rethink how they handle hot drinks in order to avoid similar lawsuits. Some potential changes in the industry could include:
- Stronger cup lids and packaging to prevent spills
- Safer serving methods at drive-throughs
- Warning labels emphasizing the dangers of hot beverages
- Employee training programs on customer safety
While Starbucks maintains that it adheres to strict safety guidelines, this lawsuit highlights the ongoing risks associated with serving high-temperature beverages. The appeal process could take months or even years, but for now, Michael Garcia’s legal victory stands as a major challenge to the coffee industry’s handling of customer safety and liability.
Starbucks Loses $50M Starbucks Loses $50M
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