Starbucks has been ordered to compensate a delivery driver with $50 million following a serious injury caused by a hot tea spill at one of its California drive-throughs. Michael Garcia, who was working for Postmates at the time of the incident in February 2020, suffered third-degree burns, resulting in multiple skin grafts and ongoing psychological trauma.

According to court documents, the incident occurred when a barista failed to properly secure one of three venti-sized hot teas in a drink carrier, leading to the drink tipping over as Garcia accepted the tray. His attorney highlighted that the rapid spill caused severe burns to his genital area, affecting Garcia's quality of life for the past five years. "After hospitalization and multiple skin grafts, Michael has lived with disfigurement, pain, dysfunction, and psychological harm," noted Trial Lawyers for Justice, representing Garcia in the lawsuit.

The jury's decision follows Starbucks' earlier attempts to settle the case for $30 million, a figure that Garcia's legal team rejected due to stipulations for a public apology and necessary changes in company policies regarding drink safety. Starbucks has indicated plans to appeal the jury’s ruling, maintaining that the company disagrees with the verdict and asserts it meets the highest safety standards for handling hot beverages.

Starbucks spokesperson Jaci Anderson commented, "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." This case draws parallels to the infamous 1994 lawsuit against McDonald's, where an elderly woman was awarded damages after suffering burns from hot coffee, emphasizing a perceived trend in high-stakes burn-related lawsuits involving prominent food and beverage brands.

The jury's ruling is expected to cost Starbucks over $60 million when considering pre-judgment interest and legal fees, raising serious questions about corporate accountability and customer safety practices.

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