A California-based delivery driver on Friday was awarded $50 million from a lawsuit against Starbucks after he was burned by a hot beverage that spilled in his lap at a drive-thru.
Michael Garcia sued the popular coffee chain after having to undergo skin graft procedures on his legs and penis, which he says was caused by a scalding hot tea not being properly situated in the cardboard drink carrier. Garcia was burned from one of three venti-sized “Medicine Ball” beverages that he was picking up, per The Guardian. According to the outlet, a Medicine Ball is an off-menu item consisting of “steamed lemonade, hot water, Jade Citrus Mint green tea, Peach Tranquility tea and honey.”
Garcia’s attorney, Nick Rowley, said in a press release that Garcia’s “life has been forever changed” by the accident.
“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,” Rowley said.
The attorney also noted that “Starbucks offered $30m to settle but wanted confidentiality. We said we would settle for $30m without confidentiality and only if Starbucks agreed to publicly apologize and promise to change policy to prevent this from happening again.”
Starbucks also issued a statement, saying they were sympathetic to Garcia’s pain but also that they planned to appeal the decision. The company said they have “always been committed to the highest safety standards in our stores.”
“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,” Starbucks said in a statement.
The case is reminiscent of the famous 1990s case of a New Mexico woman who burned her legs with a hot cup of McDonald’s coffee. The late Stella Liebeck, who was 79 years old at the time, sustained third-degree burns in her pelvic region and was hospitalized for eight days while undergoing skin grafting, plus endured two additional years of medical treatment.
Liebeck originally petitioned to settle with McDonald’s for $20,000 to cover her medical expenses, but the fast food chain declined, which led to her attorney suing for gross negligence. Liebeck was awarded $160,000 for medical expenses and $2.7 million in punitive damages, but that amount was later reduced by the judge. Liebeck and McDonald’s eventually settled for an undisclosed amount.
