On Friday, a California jury inflicted a fine of $ 50 million in Starbucks in the case of a delivery driver burned by a cup of hot tea on the scale of the company in Los Angeles.
Michael Garcia took three glasses in 2020, but one, he said, was “carelessly” unsecured and spread on his lap. He said he had therefore “undergone serious burns, disfigurement and debilitating nerve lesions to his genitals” and was taken to the emergency room by paramedical ambulancers.
“Michael Garcia's life has been changed forever,” said his lawyer Nick Rowley.
“No amount of money can cancel the permanent catastrophic damage he has suffered, but this jury verdict is an essential step to hold Starbucks responsible for the flagrant contempt for customer safety and not to accept responsibility,” he added.
Starbucks said he was planning to call on the verdict.
“We sympathize with Mr. Garcia, but we do not agree with the jury's decision that we were at fault for this incident and believe that the damages granted are excessive,” said company spokesman Jaci Anderson in a statement.
“We have always been involved in the highest safety standards of our stores, including manipulation of hot drinks,” she added.
