Starbucks has lost a lawsuit to a man who suffered severe burns after a drink spilled in his lap at one of the chain’s California drive-thru locations.

On Friday, March 14, a Los Angeles County jury ordered the Seattle-based coffee company to pay delivery driver Michael Garcia, who was burned in the drive-thru incident, a sum of $50 million, according to the Associated Press, the Los Angeles Times and CBS Los Angeles.

Garcia suffered life-changing injuries, including third-degree burns and permanent injury to his genitals, as a result of the Feb. 8, 2020 drive-thru incident at an L.A. Starbucks location, in which a scalding drink spilled into his lap moments after he collected it from a barista, the outlets reported.

The L.A.-based delivery driver was picking up three Venti-sized “medicine ball” drinks — an off-menu item featuring tea, lemonade and honey — when a Starbucks barista “negligently” put one of them in the to-go carrier with an unsecured lid, per court records obtained by the L.A. Times.

After the barista handed Garcia the tray, the lid popped off of the unsecured tea drink and the contents fell into his lap within seconds, as seen in surveillance footage of the incident provided by Trial Lawyers for Justice. Garcia suffered third-degree burns as a result.

According to Garcia’s attorney and Trial Lawyers for Justice co-founder, Nick Rowley, the delivery driver had to receive two skin grafts on his penis, which was permanently discolored and disfigured, and now results in only painful sex.

Scorching Starbucks Tea Spill Leaves Man Permanently Disfigured—Jury Orders $50M Payout!

A Los Angeles County jury has hammered Starbucks with a $50 million verdict after delivery driver Michael Garcia suffered excruciating burns to his genitals from a scalding-hot tea spill at a California drive-thru.

The shocking incident happened on February 8, 2020, when a venti-sized tea—served at dangerously high temperatures—tipped over moments after being handed to Garcia. His lawsuit accused Starbucks of negligence, arguing that the employee failed to secure the cup properly in a takeout tray, leading to a horrific accident that left Garcia with permanent, life-changing injuries.

“This jury verdict is a powerful statement against corporations like Starbucks that put profits over customer safety,” said Nick Rowley, one of Garcia’s attorneys.

Starbucks Fights Back—Calls $50M Verdict ‘Excessive’

Despite the damning verdict, Starbucks isn’t backing down. The Seattle-based coffee giant released a statement dismissing the ruling and vowing to fight back in court.

“We strongly disagree with the jury’s decision and believe the damages awarded are outrageous,” Starbucks said. “We remain committed to the highest safety standards when handling hot drinks.”

But Garcia’s legal team says the coffee chain refuses to take responsibility for the catastrophic injuries its product caused. Skin grafts, unbearable pain, and permanent damage—this wasn’t just a simple spill; it was a life-altering disaster.

Not the First Time! Starbucks Joins Long List of Hot Beverage Lawsuits

This case echoes one of the most infamous lawsuits in fast-food history—the 1990s McDonald’s hot coffee scandal, where a woman was awarded nearly $3 million after suffering third-degree burns.

Other lawsuits have had mixed results, with some juries siding with fast-food giants and others holding them accountable. But Garcia’s $50M payout sends a clear message—restaurants serving boiling-hot drinks must protect their customers.

What’s Next? Will Starbucks Pay Up or Keep Fighting?

With $50 million on the line, Starbucks is gearing up for an appeal, determined to avoid paying what could be one of the largest hot beverage settlements in history.

But for Garcia, no amount of money will undo the pain, suffering, and disfigurement he’s endured. The public outrage is growing, with many calling for stricter safety regulations on hot drink temperatures and serving practices.

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.