A California man was awarded $50 million in damages in a lawsuit against Starbucks, due to burns that he suffered while being handed a tray of hot drinks at a Starbucks location in southern California in 2020.
Postmates driver Michael Garcia sued the cafe chain after being burned on Feb. 8, 2020 when a “scalding hot” cup of tea spilled into his lap after a Starbucks worker handed him a tray containing three venti-sized hot-tea drinks through the drive-through window of the Exposition Park Starbucks at 1789 W. Jefferson Blvd. Video provided by Rowley’s firm shows the Starbucks employees preparing the drinks and the moment the tea spills into Garcia’s lap.
Garcia said a Starbucks barista acted negligently by not properly securing the drink and its lid in the drinks tray, which he said caused the drink to spill and burn him within 1.4 seconds of receiving it. The plaintiff said he suffered life-changing third-degree burns, nerve damage and permanent injuries to his genitals and has PTSD following the mishap.
Garcia said he sought treatment from the Grossman Burn Center in Los Angeles six days later, with treatments including skin grafts that caused Garcia to permanently lose feeling in affected body parts. The jury deliberated Friday for 40 minutes before delivering its verdict and awarding Garcia $50 million in damages.
Starbucks offered originally offered to settle the matter for $3 million prior to the trial and afterward increased the settlement offer to $30 million, which Garcia accepted. However, Garcia also demanded Starbucks apologize, change its policies and notify all Starbucks locations to ensure all drinks are secure before giving them to customers — when Starbucks refused to abide those terms, the case went to trial.
Garcia’s attorney, Nicholas Rowley, told jurors Garcia has undergone several surgeries and experiences pain every day. He said after the verdict: “Michael Garcia’s life has been forever changed. No amount of money can undo the permanent catastrophic harm he has suffered, but this jury verdict is a critical step in holding Starbucks accountable for flagrant disregard for customer safety and failure to accept responsibility.”
A Starbucks spokesperson said that the coffee chain disagrees with the jury verdict and intends to file an appeal: “We sympathize with Mr. Garcia, but we disagree with the jury’s decision that we were at fault for this incident and believe the damages awarded to be excessive. We plan to appeal. We have always been committed to the highest safety standards in our stores, including the handling of hot drinks.”
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