Scalding Tea Mishap Results in a Multimillion-Dollar Award: The Starbucks Burn Case
Starbucks Faces Million-Dollar Compensation for Alleged Customer's Burned Genitals
Who can forget the coffee lady lawsuit from the '90s that made headlines? Well, vodka-tinted history is repeating itself with another scalding beverage-related lawsuit. A California man just won a whopping $50 million after suffering severe burns from a Starbucks tea.
A court in Los Angeles has handed down this hefty verdict to the coffee giant, due to a mishap at one of their drive-thru windows in February 2020. The plaintiff, Michael Garcia, a then 25-year-old delivery driver, had ordered tea. But when he tried to take it, a carelessly unsecured cup unleashed a scalding wave of hot tea directly onto his lap. As a result, he endured grueling surgeries, including multiple skin grafts, on his genitals.
Garcia's legal team argued negligence on behalf of Starbucks, citing an employee's failure to ensure the tea had been safely secured in a serving tray before handing it over. Following the verdict, his lawyer emphasized that the jury held Starbucks accountable for gross negligence and their refusal to take responsibility.
As CNN reports, the incident occurred despite the customer's request for the drinks to be secured in a tray. Garcia's lawyer mentioned that only one of the three drinks was indeed secured, while the other two weren't held properly, causing the spill.
The jury recognized Garcia's numerous woes, as the verdict noted his physical pain, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, humiliation, inconvenience, grief, disfigurement, physical impairment, fear, and emotional distress.
The landmark case evokes memories of the infamous coffee spill lawsuit from the 1990s. In that incident, a woman endured burns when she accidentally spilled coffee between her legs.
Take it from us, folks, keep your coffee and tea where they belong—not where they'll cause harm!
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Inside the Courtroom: The Starbucks Scalding Tea Case
Following is the summary of the Starbucks lawsuit that brought a multimillion-dollar verdict for the plaintiff, Michael Garcia:
Case Particulars
- Date of Incident: February 8, 2020
- Location: A Starbucks drive-through in Exposition Park, California
Incident Breakdown
- Garcia ordered three Venti-sized hot teas that were placed in a cardboard tray.
- During the handover, two of the tea containers fell from the tray and poured scalding liquid onto his lap, resulting in severe burns.
- The burn injuries included third-degree damage to his genitals, inner thighs, and groin region, leading to lifelong health issues and disfigurement.
Legal Battle
- Lawsuit Accusation: Garcia's lawsuit accused Starbucks of negligence, as they did not secure the tea correctly in the tray before handing it over.
- Jury Verdict: A Los Angeles County jury found Starbucks liable and rewarded Garcia $50 million in damages.
- Starbucks Response: Starbucks shared its sympathy for Garcia but expressed disagreement with the verdict, deeming the awarded damages excessive. They plan to contest the decision.
Pre-Trial Offers
- Before the trial, Starbucks proposed a $3 million settlement for Garcia and later raised it to $30 million. The offer was contingent upon Starbucks apologizing and vowing to enforce better measures to secure hot drinks before handing them to consumers. However, Starbucks declined these terms and the trial proceeded.
Wider Implications and Close Cases
- Garcia's case presents parallels to the widely known 1994 suit against McDonald's, where a woman received almost $3 million in damages for burn injuries from coffee. This award later got reduced to less than $600,000.
- The Starbucks case underscores concerns about consumer safety, particularly in relation to large food chains handling hot beverages.
The Commission has also been consulted on the draft directive wrt Starbucks' responsibility towards consumer safety, in light of the recent lawsuit. The jury's decision to award $50 million to Michael Garcia after a spilling incident involving a scalding tea at a Starbucks in California certainly sets a physical precedent for future WhatsApp conversations about careless handling of hot drinks at drive-thrus. Despite the losses, Starbucks maintains their stance on contesting the verdict, signifying a continued tipped disagreement with the verdict's implications.
