Delivery driver wins $50 million lawsuit against Starbucks for sustaining burns from hot coffee
Michael Garcia, a delivery driver in California, just scored a whopping $50 million win against Starbucks after his groin was severely burned by an unsecured lid on one of their hot beverages. The unfortunate incident took place back in 2020, when picking up drinks at a Los Angeles drive-through.
According to the lawsuit filed at the California Superior Court, Garcia succumbed to painful burns, permanent disfigurement, and debilitating nerve damage due to a hot drink spilling onto his lap. Starbucks was accused of shirking their responsibility by neglecting to secure the lid appropriately.
His lawyer, Michael Parker, explained that the driver was picking up three beverages but one of the hot cups wasn't fully secured inside the container. When the barista handed over the order, one drink slipped out of the container and onto Garcia, as Parker revealed.
The court awarded Garcia damages for physical pain, emotional despair, loss of life's pleasures, embarrassment, inconvenience, grief, disfigurement, physical impairment, anxiety, and emotional distress.
Starbucks, however, remains unconvinced and plans to lodge an appeal. A spokesperson for the company stated, "We feel sincere empathy for Mr. Garcia, but we fundamentally disagree with the jury's ruling that we were responsible for this event and find the damages extortionate. We're steadfast in maintaining the highest safety standards in our stores, especially as it pertains to handling hot drinks."
The recent verdict bears a striking resemblance to the 1994 lawsuit against McDonald's, where a woman named Stella Liebeck suffered severe third-degree burns after spilling hot coffee on her lap. Liebeck had initially been awarded nearly $3 million in that case.
In the court case, Starbucks was accused of neglecting their duty to secure a hot beverage's lid, leading to Michael Garcia's physical injuries from a burned groin. The jury recently awarded Garcia $50 million, taking into account his physical pain, emotional distress, and other damages. Despite Starbucks' plans to file an appeal, the case mirrors the 1994 lawsuit against McDonald's, where Stella Liebeck received damages for severe burns from a hot beverage.
