Michael Garcia, a delivery driver from California, recently achieved a significant legal victory by winning a $50 million lawsuit against Starbucks. This ruling was passed down by a Los Angeles jury on March 14, 2025, marking a pivotal moment in his pursuit of justice.
The case stems from a severe incident that occurred on February 8, 2020, at a Starbucks drive-through located at 1789 West Jefferson Blvd. Garcia claimed that he endured excruciating burns on his thighs and genitals after a venti-sized tea spilled onto him just moments after it was handed over by a Starbucks employee. As a result of the burns, he required multiple medical procedures, including skin grafts.
Garcia’s legal team argued that he suffered permanent disfigurement due to this accident. The suit alleged that the employee improperly placed the hot beverage into the takeout tray, leading to the unfortunate incident. While Starbucks has firmly denied these allegations, stating their intention to appeal the jury’s decision, they expressed sympathy for Garcia’s suffering.
Delving into the Michael Garcia vs. Starbucks Case
Garcia’s lawsuit against Starbucks positioned that the coffee chain failed to uphold its duty of care toward customers. This breach led to the jury siding with Garcia, resulting in the considerable financial judgment against the company.
“This jury verdict is a critical step in holding Starbucks accountable for flagrant disregard for customer safety and failure to accept responsibility,” stated Nick Rowley, one of Garcia’s attorneys, in a comment to the Associated Press.
In response, Starbucks has expressed their intent to appeal, deeming the damages awarded to Garcia as excessive. A company spokesperson emphasized their commitment to maintaining the highest safety standards in handling hot beverages.
“We sympathize with Mr. Garcia and the pain he has endured, but we believe the damages awarded are excessive. We disagree with the jury’s decision that we were at fault for this incident,” the spokesperson commented.
Starbucks contended that Garcia’s own negligence contributed to the accident. They had previously made a pre-trial offer of $3 million, followed by a $30 million settlement, which Garcia initially considered under the condition that Starbucks issue an apology and revise its safety practices; however, the company ultimately refused that agreement. According to reports from the Daily Journal, three jurors originally proposed a payout of $125 million before settling on the final jury award of $50 million.
This case is part of a broader pattern of similar lawsuits targeting food and beverage companies over burn-related injuries. One notable precedent occurred in the 1990s when a New Mexico jury awarded a woman $3 million after she sustained burns from a hot coffee at a McDonald’s drive-through. Although the judge later reduced the settlement to below $600,000, this case set a significant precedent in customer safety litigation.
In another case from the same era, a jury ruled in favor of McDonald’s when a child was burned by hot coffee, showcasing the complex nature of liability in food service. More recently, a Texas woman was awarded $2.8 million in January for second-degree burns attributed to BBQ sauce at Bill Miller Bar-B-Q, illustrating that concerns over hot food safety continue to generate legal ramifications.