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Micheal Garcia, a 30-year-old man, suffered severe burns from a hot tea received at Starbucks in February 2020. Garcia went through the drive thru of a Starbucks in Los Angeles to pick up a Postmates order. Unfortunately, due to one of the employees putting a drink in the tray incorrectly, one of the drinks fell out immediately as Garcia grabbed it. After the drink spilled, it was recorded that Garcia had screamed and his car had pulled off.
Garcia was sent to the hospital with severe third-degree burns. These burns gave way to many surgeries, lifelong damages, and severe PTSD. When Garcia originally sued Starbucks, they offered him 3 million dollars for the damages, which he very quickly denied. Now, the jury is ruling that Starbucks pays Garcia 50 million dollars for the damages caused. Starbucks is trying to appeal this ruling, explaining that they believe the damages are not as bad as Garcia is making them seem to be. One of Garcia’s lawyers had explained he had to be hospitalized, undergoing many skin grafts, then was sent to a burn center where they performed two more skin grafts and a procedure removing some nerves from the burned area– they applied pig skin to “save the area”. Because of all these surgeries, Garcia has suffered much pain and is determined to get as much of a settlement as possible.
If Garcia does get paid what the jury’s claimed, he would be winning about 60 million dollars, with the interest attorney fees and costs added. There is still another trial to come, unfortunately, due to Starbucks trying to appeal the jury’s decision.