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Starbucks ordered to pay $50 million to driver burned by hot coffee

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  • A California man won a multi-million dollar judgment against coffee giant Starbucks. Michael Garcia claimed he was badly burned when a hot drink spilled on him while he was at a drive-through in Los Angeles.
  • A jury awarded him $50 million.
  • Starbucks said it sympathizes with the man but disagrees with the amount awarded. The company also adhered to the highest safety standards when handling hot drinks.

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A California jury ordered Starbucks to pay big bucks for an incident that left a delivery driver burned several years ago. Jurors awarded the man $50 million.

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What happened to the man who led the lawsuit?

The driver, Michael Garcia, alleged that he was picking up drinks at a drive-through at a Los Angeles Starbucks when an improperly secured lid led to a spill that left him severely burned.

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According to his attorney, Garcia was picking up three beverages, and one of the hot drinks was not fully secured in the container. When the barista handed Garcia the order, the hot drink fell out of the container and spilled onto his lap.

What type of injuries did Garcia say he suffered?

The lawsuit claimed Garcia suffered severe burns, disfigurement and debilitating nerve damage to his genitals. It said that Garcia suffered damage including, but not limited to, physical pain, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life and emotional distress.

In 2020, Garcia filed a lawsuit in California Superior Court, accusing Starbucks of breaching its duty of care by failing to secure the lid.

What is the reaction from Starbucks?

Starbucks released a statement after the decision.

“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 to be excessive,” the company said.

Starbucks said it intends to appeal the $50 million verdict and has consistently upheld the highest safety standards in handling hot beverages.

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A JURY IN CALIFORNIA HAS ORDERED STARBUCKS TO PAY BIG BUCKS FOR AN INCIDENT THAT LEFT A DELIVERY DRIVER, BURNED SEVERAL YEARS AGO. JURORS AWARDED THE MAN 50 MILLION DOLLARS.
THE DRIVER, MICHAEL GARCIA, ALLEGES THAT HE WAS PICKING UP DRINKS AT A DRIVE-THROUGH AT A STARBUCKS IN LOS ANGELES, WHEN AN IMPROPERLY SECURED LID, LED TO A SPILL THAT LEFT HIM SEVERELY BURNED.
ACCORDING TO HIS ATTORNEY, GARCIA WAS GETTING THREE BEVERAGES. ONE OF THE HOT DRINKS WAS NOT FULLY SECURED IN THE CONTAINER. WHEN THE BARISTA HANDED GARCIA THE ORDER, A HOT DRINK FELL OUT OF THE CONTAINER AND SPILLED ONTO GARCIA’S LAP.
THE LAWSUIT CLAIMS GARCIA SUFFERED “SEVERE BURNS, DISFIGUREMENT AND DEBILITATING NERVE DAMAGE TO HIS GENITALS.” THE SUIT SAYS THE DAMAGE TO GARCIA INCLUDES AMONG OTHER THINGS : PHYSICAL PAIN, MENTAL ANGUISH, LOSS OF ENJOYMENT OF LIFE, DISFIGUREMENT AND EMOTIONAL DISTRESS.
THE LAWSUIT, FILED IN CALIFORNIA SUPERIOR COURT IN 2020, ACCUSED STARBUCKS OF BREACHING ITS DUTY OF CARE, BY FAILING TO SECURE THE LID.
STARBUCKS RELEASED A STATEMENT SAYING “ 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 SAYS IT PLANS TO APPEAL THE $50 MILLION VERDICT AND THAT IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN COMMITTED TO THE HIGHEST SAFETY STANDARDS WHEN HANDLING HOT DRINKS.
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