Los Angeles County(Thechieftainspear) – A Los Angeles County jury awarded $50 million to a man who suffered severe burns from a spilled hot tea at a Starbucks drive-through in 2020.
Michael Garcia, a delivery driver from Los Angeles, was picking up an order on Feb. 8, 2020, at a Starbucks in Exposition Park when a cup of hot tea tipped from a cardboard drink carrier and spilled onto his lap. According to his attorneys, he sustained third-degree burns to his groin area.
Later that month, Garcia underwent two skin graft surgeries on his genitalia. His legal team says he now lives with permanent disfigurement due to the burns.
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“Michael Garcia’s injuries have changed his life forever,” said his attorney, Nick Rowley. “While no financial award can undo what happened, this verdict sends a strong message that corporations must prioritize customer safety.”
Garcia sued Starbucks, arguing that an employee at the drive-through failed to properly secure the lid on one of the hot beverages.
Starbucks has announced plans to appeal, calling the damages “excessive” and disputing the claim that it was responsible for the incident.
Before the trial, Garcia was offered a $3 million settlement by the company, but his attorneys rejected it.
