Starbucks ordered to pay $50 million to man burned by hot drink
Starbucks has been ordered to pay a delivery driver $50 million (P2.9 billion) who suffered burns from a hot drink.
Postmates driver Michael Garcia was getting a three-drink order from the drive-through window of a Los Angeles Starbucks when one "scalding hot" cup of tea spilled into his lap in February 2020.
Garcia argued that the barista failed to secure the drink on the takeout tray when it was handed to him, causing the accident.
According to the lawsuit filed in California Superior Court, as per CNN, Garcia suffered severe burns, disfigurement, and debilitating nerve damage to his genitals. He alleged that Starbucks breached its duty of care and was awarded $50 million by the jury.
"This jury verdict is a critical step in holding Starbucks accountable for flagrant disregard for customer safety and failure to accept responsibility," one of Garcia's attorneys, Nick Rowley, said.
Starbucks plans to appeal the verdict.
"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,” a company spokesperson said in a statement.
“We have always been committed to the highest safety standards in our stores, including the handling of hot drinks.”
A similar lawsuit happened in 1994 in which a woman, Stella Liebeck, was awarded originally awarded nearly $3 million after suffering third-degree burns while trying to open a cup of coffee at a McDonald's drive-through. A judge later reduced the payout to around $600,000.
