$50 Million Awarded in Starbucks Burn Injury Lawsuit

A California jury has ordered Starbucks to pay $50 million to a delivery driver who sustained severe burns from hot water at a drive-through location. The verdict, reached in a Los Angeles courtroom, comes after the jury found the coffee giant fully liable for the incident.

The case stems from a February 8, 2020, incident when plaintiff Michael Garcia received a cup caddy containing multiple drinks through a Starbucks drive-through window. Moments later, hot water spilled on him, causing significant burns. Surveillance footage presented at trial showed that the cup caddy was not properly secured, leading to the spill just 1.4 seconds after the handoff.

Garcia’s attorneys argued that his injuries had permanently impacted his quality of life. They sought between $75 million and $125 million in damages, while Starbucks countered that an award of $7.5 million to $10 million was more appropriate.

The Trial

The trial was conducted in two phases: liability and damages. In the first phase, the jury unanimously determined that Starbucks was 100% responsible for the accident. The panel ruled 11-1 that Garcia bore no negligence in the incident.

During closing arguments, Garcia’s lawyer, Nicholas Rowley of Trial Lawyers for Justice, told jurors that his client suffered harm affecting "every facet of his life." In response, Starbucks' legal team maintained that not all of Garcia’s health complications were due to the spill, pointing instead to his pre-existing childhood-onset diabetes.

Starbucks’ defense, led by Stephen Pelletier of Price Pelletier LLP, further argued that Garcia’s treatment concluded within months of the injury, suggesting that his ongoing medical struggles were unrelated. However, the jury disagreed, ultimately awarding $50 million—an amount that fell between the competing valuations presented by both sides.

Starbucks’ Response and Next Steps

Following the verdict, a Starbucks spokesperson expressed sympathy for Garcia but strongly disagreed with the outcome. "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. We plan to appeal. We have always been committed to the highest safety standards in our stores, including the handling of hot drinks," the company said in a statement.

The damages verdict was reached by nine of the 12 jurors—the minimum number required for agreement under California law. Deliberations lasted approximately half a day over Thursday afternoon and Friday morning. Given Starbucks’ intent to appeal, the final resolution of the case may take months or even years.

Law Firms Involved

• Michael Garcia is represented by: Nicholas Rowley of Trial Lawyers for Justice and Daniel Bidegaray of Bidegaray Law Firm LLC.
• Starbucks is represented by: Stephen Pelletier of Price Pelletier LLP.

Case Information

• Case Name: Garcia v. Starbucks Corp.
• Case Number: 20STCV10214
• Court: Superior Court of the State of California, County of Los Angeles