A Los Angeles County jury says Starbucks is answerable for accidents of a buyer burned all over a botched drive-through drink handoff — to the track of $50 million.L.A. resident Michael Garcia claimed that he used to be significantly burned in 2020 after his tray of sizzling teas “caved in on itself,” he mentioned in a deposition. First one, then any other sizzling drink toppled onto his lap, their lids popping off. He suffered critical burns, together with to his genitalia, he claimed. Garcia accused Starbucks of negligence, and produced a shop safety video that seemed to display that one of the crucial Venti-sized beverages sat askew within the tray as a barista handed the order to him by way of a drive-through window. Jurors on Friday agreed, and ordered the Seattle-based corporate to pay Garcia $50 million for previous and long run harm that come with ache and struggling.Starbucks mentioned it plans to attraction the decision.“We sympathize with Mr. Garcia, however we disagree with the jury’s determination that we have been at fault for this incident and imagine the damages awarded to be over the top,” Starbucks Director of Company Communications Jaci Anderson mentioned Saturday in a observation to The Occasions. “We’ve got at all times been dedicated to the best protection requirements in our shops, together with the dealing with of sizzling beverages.”The award harks again to civil court docket judgments towards McDonald’s after a jury in 1994 awarded $3 million to an Albuquerque lady who used to be scalded through sizzling espresso. Stella Liebeck, who used to be 79, suffered third-degree burns that required a couple of pores and skin grafts. Her attorneys had argued McDonald’s had a historical past of masses of shopper harm proceedings. A pass judgement on later very much decreased the award, however the McDonald’s case used to be continuously cited in campaigns for limits on tort awards.Garcia’s lawyers didn’t answer instantly to a Occasions request for remark however informed any other information outlet that Starbucks carried some duty for the movements of its barista, who consistent with court docket information mentioned she didn’t take into accout the incident. “This jury verdict is a vital step in maintaining Starbucks answerable for flagrant fail to remember for buyer protection and failure to simply accept duty,” one in all Garcia’s lawyers, Nick Rowley, used to be quoted as announcing through the Related Press.The incident described within the lawsuit took place on Feb. 8, 2020, at a Starbucks drive-through in Exposition Park. Garcia, a then-25-year-old Postmates supply motive force, used to be choosing up an order of 3 Venti sizzling teas. They have been served to him in a cardboard drink provider.Sooner or later all over the handoff, two of the teas fell from the provider and spilled onto Garcia’s lap, leaving him with “horrific burn accidents that required a couple of surgical procedures” and “everlasting disfigurement” to his groin area, consistent with court docket paperwork reviewed through The Occasions. Scientific information filed within the case display he underwent two pores and skin grafts and suffered lasting ache and sexual disorder.Garcia blamed the spill on a barista, whom he claimed “didn’t securely fasten the lids of every sizzling beverage that have been negligently, carelessly and recklessly served to Plaintiff.” He testified that from the beginning he may see the lid on one of the crucial beverages used to be now not set in position.Starbucks in its preliminary reaction argued that Garcia didn’t maintain “any harm, harm or loss through reason why of any act or omission” through its workers, court docket paperwork mentioned. All the way through the trial, the corporate additional alleged some fault lay with Garcia because of “contributory negligence,” the paperwork mentioned. Earlier than the jury trial, Starbucks presented Garcia $3 million — and later $30 million — to settle, CBS Information reported. Garcia agreed at the situation that the corporate make an apology and alter its insurance policies, together with including a demand that every one workers double-check that sizzling beverages are safe ahead of giving them to consumers, the CBS document mentioned. Starbucks refused the phrases, and the case went to trial.South Los Angeles resident Muriel Evans filed a equivalent lawsuit towards Starbucks in 2024, alleging she suffered important nerve harm and disfigurement after a barista mishandled a cup of espresso and spilled it in her lap. Legal professionals within the case accused Starbucks of “reckless fail to remember” for buyer protection through serving sizzling beverages in faulty cups “in spite of numerous studies and warnings.”Evans’ jury trial is scheduled for February 2026.
L.A. guy scalded through Starbucks beverages is awarded $50 million
