The Starbucks vs. Michael Garcia incident dates back four years. Garcia, who used to drive for Postmates, first filed a complaint against Starbucks in March 2020.

Trial Lawyers for Justice, the firm representing Garcia, said the man entered a Starbucks and ordered three cups of hot tea. The barista who took the orders through the window was negligent and did not put one of the drinks in a container.

Within 1.4 seconds of Michael picking up the tray, the unsecured cup fell straight into his lap, the lid flew off and the hot tea caused third-degree burns to his "sensitive parts", groin and thigh. Medical staff rushed him to the emergency room.

Garcia's lawyer, Nick Rowley, said the driver's life had been changed forever.

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Camera recorded the incident. Photo: Skynews

“No amount of money can make up for the catastrophic and permanent damage he has suffered, but the jury’s verdict is an important step in holding Starbucks accountable for its disregard for customer safety and failure to take responsibility,” he said.

According to the ruling of the Los Angeles District Court, Starbucks was negligent in its work, causing consequences for customers and requested to compensate the delivery driver 50 million USD.

After the court's ruling, a Starbucks spokesperson said the brand would appeal. "We sympathize with Mr. Garcia, but disagree with the court's decision. The amount of compensation is too high," a Starbucks representative said.

Starbucks said it is committed to maintaining the highest safety standards in its stores, including the handling of hot beverages.

In the US, several restaurants have been involved in lawsuits related to customers being burned.

In a famous case in the 1990s, a New Mexico jury awarded nearly $3 million to a woman who suffered burns while trying to open a coffee cup at a McDonald's drive-thru. The award was later reduced and the case settled for an undisclosed amount.

In July 2023, a South Florida court ordered the family of Olivia Caraballo, then 4, to pay $800,000 for second-degree burns suffered when a hot Happy Meal Chicken McNugget fell on her lap in 2019.