Scalding Tea Spill Leads to Multimillion-Dollar Compensation

The coffee chain Starbucks was ordered to compensate a courier with $50 million following a tragic incident at a Los Angeles branch. Michael Garcia, age 25, suffered severe third-degree burns and irreversible damage after tea was spilled on him during his work.

The incident occurred when Garcia received three hot drink cups within a carry tray. Security cameras captured the moment the drink spilled on him, seconds post-delivery. He claimed that a store employee inadequately attached the cup to the tray and did not properly secure the lid, causing the cup to fall and significant damages. "Garcia's life has completely changed," asserted his attorney after the verdict. "No amount of money can compensate for the pain and suffering he endured."

Garcia has since undergone multiple difficult surgeries, battling daily pain and severe post-trauma. In his lawsuit, he claimed the chain was negligent in handling hot products and did not take sufficient steps to prevent such incidents. The jury agreed with his position and awarded him an unprecedented amount in compensation.

For its part, Starbucks stated it "regrets the harm to Garcia" but opposes the decision and plans to appeal: "We stand by our strict safety procedures and continuously strive to enhance customer experience."

This case joins a series of similar incidents where customers filed lawsuits over burns from hot beverages. One of the most famous was a 1992 lawsuit against McDonald’s, with a customer winning $2.9 million after being burned by a spilled hot drink. Another incident occurred in 2014, where Starbucks was required to pay $100,000 to a customer burned by tea due to a defective lid.

While Starbucks plans to appeal, Garcia hopes his case will lead to changes in the chain's safety policies and prevent similar incidents in the future.