Scream And Sugar: Man With ‘Disfigured Genitals’ Gets $50 Million In Starbucks Spill Suit

A man whose genitalia was ‘disfigured’ by hot coffee was awarded $50 million by a California jury on Friday after a five year court battle.

Michael Garcia was picking up drinks at a Los Angeles Starbucks drive-through when he suffered “suffered severe burns, disfigurement, and debilitating nerve damage to his genitals when hot drinks ultimately spilled” onto his lap, according to the 2020 lawsuit filed in California Superior Court, which accused Starbucks of breaching its duty of care by failing to secure the lid.

Garcia’s lawyer, Michael Parker, said his client was picking up three beverages – one of which wasn’t fully pushed into the drink holder. When the barista handed Garcia the order, a hot drink fell out and spilled onto his lap – causing permanent and life-changing disfigurement.

According to a recording of the verdict, Garcia’s damages cover physical pain, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, humiliation, inconvenience, grief, disfigurement, physical impairment, anxiety and emotional distress.

Garcia underwent skin grafts and other procedures on his genitals after a venti-sized tea drink spilled on him on Feb. 8, 2020, causing ‘permanent and life-changing disfigurement,’ according to his attorneys.

“This jury verdict is a critical step in holding Starbucks accountable for flagrant disregard for customer safety and failure to accept responsibility,” said another one of Garcia’s lawyers, Nick Rowley.

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Starbucks plans to appeal the verdict, saying in a statement that while they sympathize with Garcia, they “disagree with the jury’s decision that we were at fault for this incident and believe the damages awarded to be excessive,” adding “We have always been committed to the highest safety standards in our stores, including the handling of hot drinks..”

This is the latest in a string of burn lawsuits at US eateries.

In a famous case from the 1990s, a New Mexico jury awarded a woman nearly $3 million in damages after she suffered burns while trying to pry the lid off of a cup of coffee at a McDonald’s drive-through – though the case was ultimately settled for an undisclosed sum under $600,000 after an appeals court judge reduced the award.