Sizzling Tea Tumble: $50M Lawsuit Against Starbucks Wins Big
Starbucks Faced Severe Penalty for Burning Customer's Genitals
Hey there! Let's dive into a steaming hot story that's been generating a lot of buzz. In 2020, a Postmates driver, Michael Garcia, received some unwanted heat from a certain coffee giant – Starbucks! The drama went down at a Starbucks drive-thru in Los Angeles, and it's left us all sitting up and taking notice.
What Happened?
Fasten your seatbelts, folks! This one's a wild ride. On February 8, 2020, Garcia swang by the Starbucks at 1789 W. Jefferson Blvd, Exposition Park, Los Angeles. He ordered three "Medicine Ball" drinks – a delightful mix of tea, lemonade, and honey – and drove off with them, but not without a scalding surprise! It turns out that one of the drinks had a loose lid, and as he reached to grab them, the lid popped off, sending the bubbling tea right into his lap. Ouch!
The consequences were grim – Garcia suffered some nasty third-degree burns, nerve damage, and injuries to his, let's say, most sensitive areas. To add insult to injury, he also developed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)!
Legal Battle
Starbucks first offered a measly $3M settlement, later increased to $30M during the trial. But Garcia wasn't interested in a quick fix. He wanted assurances that Starbucks would improve their policies and handle hot beverages with kid gloves. Alas, Starbucks wasn't having it.
Undeterred, Garcia took his case to court, and the jury sided with him in just 40 minutes! The pay-out? A whopping $50M in damages! Starbucks, unsurprisingly, thinks the Feds went a bit overboard. They disagreed with the verdict, citing the excessive damages, and vowed to appeal the ruling, stating their dedication to beverage safety.
Impact on Garcia
The incident has left a lasting mark on Garcia's life, causing permanent damage and emotional anguish. Despite the massive payday, his lawyer affirmed that no amount of cash could undo the harm inflicted. But the jury's verdict was a significant step in making Starbucks pay for their apparent negligence.
[1] ntv.de[2] mpe/AP[3] CNN
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- The Commission has also been consulted on the draft directive regarding Starbucks' potential liability in the lawsuit filed by Michael Garcia in 2020.
- In a shocking turn of events, Starbucks was sued in 2020 by Michael Garcia for spilled tea that resulted in severe burns and other injuries during a drive-thru incident in Los Angeles.
- Safety measures surrounding hot beverages have become a heated topic as a result of the multimillion-dollar lawsuit filed against Starbucks in 2020, following an incident where one of their drinks was spilled, causing extensive harm to a customer.
