A California jury has ordered Starbucks to pay $50 million in damages to a delivery driver who suffered severe burns from spilled hot beverages.
Michael Garcia was picking up drinks at a Los Angeles Starbucks drive-through when he was handed beverages with improperly secured lids. According to the lawsuit, filed in California Superior Court in 2020, the hot drinks spilled on his lap, causing “severe burns, disfigurement, and debilitating nerve damage to his genitals.”
Garcia accused Starbucks of negligence, arguing that the company failed to ensure its beverages were properly sealed. The jury ultimately agreed, citing the significant physical and emotional suffering Garcia endured.
“Garcia’s damages included physical pain, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, humiliation, inconvenience, grief, disfigurement, physical impairment, anxiety, and emotional distress,” according to a recording of the verdict from Courtroom View Network.
In response, Starbucks stated that while they “sympathize with Mr. Garcia,” they plan to appeal the verdict, calling the damages “excessive” and rejecting the claim that they were at fault.
“We have always been committed to the highest safety standards in our stores, including the handling of hot drinks,” a Starbucks spokesperson said.
The case draws comparisons to the well-known 1994 lawsuit against McDonald’s, in which a woman suffered third-degree burns after spilling hot coffee on her lap. She was initially awarded nearly $3 million in damages.
With Starbucks vowing to challenge the ruling, the legal battle over the massive payout is far from over.
At the end of 2024, Starbucks workers in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Seattle launched a five-day strike, expressing dissatisfaction with the company’s actions regarding collective bargaining and labor negotiations.
This strike, set to continue through Christmas Eve, underscores mounting tensions between Starbucks and its unionized workforce in three of its most significant markets.
Union baristas, represented by Starbucks Workers United, allege the company has failed to honor commitments made earlier this year. Despite agreeing in February to a “path forward” on organizing and collective bargaining, union leaders claim Starbucks proposed an economic package that excludes wage increases for unionized baristas, offering only a 1.5% future guarantee.
