Starbucks hit with $50 million fine for spilled drink injury
Voice of America
15 Mar 2025, 15:17 GMT+10
A California jury Friday imposed a $50 million fine on Starbucks in the case of a delivery driver burned by a scalding cup of hot tea at a company location in Los Angeles.
Michael Garcia was picking up three drinks in 2020 but one, he claimed, was "negligently" unsecured and spilled in his lap. He claimed that he consequently "suffered severe burns, disfigurement, and debilitating nerve damage to his genitals" and he was taken to an emergency room by paramedics.
"Michael Garcia’s life has been forever changed," his attorney, Nick Rowley, said.
"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," he added.
Starbucks said it planned to appeal the verdict.
"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," company spokesperson Jaci Anderson said in a statement.
"We have always been committed to the highest safety standards in our stores, including the handling of hot drinks," she added.
Share
Tweet
Share
Flip
Email
Subscribe and Follow
Get a daily dose of San Diego Sun news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
News RELEASES
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to San Diego Sun.
More InformationDoorDash, Williams-Sonoma, and others soar on S&P 500 inclusion
SAN FRANCISCO, California: Shares of DoorDash, Williams-Sonoma, Expand Energy, and TKO Group surged in extended trading on March 7...
New Trump policy ends collective bargaining for 50,000 TSA officers
WASHINGTON, D.C.: The Trump administration announced this week that it will end collective bargaining rights for about 50,000 TSA officers...
Los Angeles, Pasadena sue Edison over devastating wildfire
LOS ANGELES, California: Los Angeles County, Pasadena, and other public agencies have sued Edison International and its subsidiary,...
Update: "Ne Zha 2" storms into global box office top 5, cementing it as a cultural phenomenon
A man walks past a screen showing a poster of the Chinese animated film Ne Zha 2 before a preview screening at the BFI IMAX theater...
Starbucks hit with $50 million fine for spilled drink injury
A California jury Friday imposed a $50 million fine on Starbucks in the case of a delivery driver burned by a scalding cup of hot tea...
Gal Gadot, Rachel Zegler reportedly at odds amid 'Snow White' release
Washington [US], March 15 (ANI): As Disney's live-action remake of 'Snow White' approaches its March 21 theatrical debut, reports suggest...
Southwest ends free checked bags, introduces new fees
DALLAS, Texas: Southwest Airlines will start charging passengers for checked bags, ending a long-standing policy that set it apart...
U.S. stocks rally hard despite drop in consumer sentiment
NEW YORK, New York - U.S. stocks rallied hard on Friday, boosted by strong rises around the world. Investors shrugged off a decline...
Maserati cancels electric MC20 plans over low demand
MILAN, Italy: Maserati has scrapped plans for an electric version of its MC20 sports car, citing low expected demand for the high-performance...
Volkswagen to slash 1,600 jobs at Cariad by year-end
BERLIN, Germany: Volkswagen is set to cut 1,600 jobs at its Cariad software division by the end of the year, affecting nearly 30 percent...
Travel to and from Israel to be boosted by terminal reopening
The principal terminal, Terminal 1, at Israel's largest airport will reopen at the end of this month, having largely been closed since...
Tech stocks lead renewed selling on Wall Street
NEW YORK, New York - The knee-jerk introduction of trade tariffs by President Donald Trump continues to rattle markets with all the...
