Shocking lawsuit! Starbucks ordered to pay $50 million for hot tea that ruined customer’s life

In February 2020, a delivery driver who was picking up drinks at Starbucks had his life forever changed when scalding-hot tea spilled into his lap at a drive-thru in California. The man, Michael Garcia, filed a lawsuit against Starbucks and won $50 million. Here’s what happened.

Starbucks ordered to pay millions to customer

On February 8, 2020, Garcia was picking up three Venti-sized drinks when a barista put one of them in the to-go carrier without the lid fully secured on the cup. When she handed the carrier to Garcia, the lid came off of that cup and spilled all over his lap within seconds. Trial Lawyers for Justice provided surveillance footage that clearly shows evidence of this.

Garcia suffered third-degree burns and had to receive two skin grafts on his penis, which was permanently discolored and disfigured after the incident. Trial Lawyers for Justice co-founder Nick Rowley said that Garcia can no longer have sex without pain.

“One of the most pleasurable experiences in life has been changed to pain,” Rowley said in a statement.

Rowley said that Garcia is no longer the same person, adding that the injury “will affect every facet of his life.”

Rowley and Garcia both blame the incident on Starbucks, as the barista did not properly secure the lid before handing the drinks to Garcia. On Friday, March 14, 2025, a Los Angeles County jury deliberated for just 40 minutes before siding with Garcia and ordering Starbucks to award him $50 million.

Starbucks refused to take accountability

Starbucks is planning to appeal the verdict, disagreeing that they are at fault as well as saying the amount is “excessive”.

“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,” said Starbucks Director of Corporate Communications Jaci Anderson.

What’s interesting is that Starbucks could have settled at $3 million, but chose not to. Rowley had originally sued for $120 million, and Starbucks offered to settle the case for $3 million. Garcia said he would accept the settlement under three conditions: that Starbucks apologize, that they alter their store policy, and that they issue a memo to employees to double-check hot drinks before handing them off - all things they probably should have done anyway.

Starbucks refused, and so the case went to trial. Now, the company has been ordered to pay Garcia $50 million instead.

“No amount of money can undo the permanent catastrophic harm he has suffered,” said Rowley. “But this jury verdict is a critical step in holding Starbucks accountable for flagrant disregard for customer safety and failure to accept responsibility.”

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