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submitted 3 weeks ago by Mee@reddthat.com to c/news@lemmy.world

A California jury Friday imposed a $50 million fine on Starbucks in the case of a delivery driver burned by a scalding cup of hot tea at a company location in Los Angeles.

Michael Garcia was picking up three drinks in 2020 but one, he claimed, was "negligently" unsecured and spilled in his lap. He claimed that he consequently "suffered severe burns, disfigurement, and debilitating nerve damage to his genitals" and he was taken to an emergency room by paramedics.

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[-] expatriado@lemmy.world 1 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

i guess it has been 30 years since that lady, time to remind these companies to adjust their water temp sensors

[-] Glytch@lemmy.world 1 points 3 weeks ago

It's the McDonald's thing all over again. Coffee should never be hot enough to require skin grafts if it spills. Doesn't matter how clumsy the customer is.

[-] Buffalox@lemmy.world 0 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Absolutely insane!! WTF is wrong with you USA?
This wasn't due to just the servers mistake. He spilled it on himself, holding 3 drinks while sitting down. Clearly he has part of the blame himself.

[-] keckbug@lemmy.world 0 points 3 weeks ago

Garcia was later treated at the renowned Grossman Burn Center, where he received not one but two skin grafts on his penis. Garcia's attorney, Trial Lawyers for Justice co-founder Nick Rowley, said Garcia's penis was permanently discolored and disfigured, with less length and less girth.

Rowley said the key evidence during the trial was the surveillance footage of the incident taken from inside the coffee shop. Rowley said the footage clearly showed the barista secure two of the cups in the caddie but not the third, causing it to spill less than two seconds after Garcia took it into the car.

https://www.courthousenews.com/starbucks-hit-with-50-million-jury-verdict-for-hot-tea-that-scalded-and-disfigured-postmates-drivers-penis/

He didn’t hold 3 drinks, he was handed a drink carrier and one of the drinks was negligently secured. The jury took 40 minutes to determine that Starbucks was at fault, and Starbucks themselves offered $3m and $30m settlements at different points. How much do you think two skin grafts to your genitalia are worth?

[-] Halosheep@lemm.ee 0 points 3 weeks ago

... I'd take the 3 mill for a couple of skin grafts. 30 is just fantastic.

[-] JasonDJ@lemmy.zip 0 points 3 weeks ago

His penis is permanently disfigured.

Not just like most American penises...more. Like Deadpool's Penis.

[-] Halosheep@lemm.ee 1 points 2 weeks ago

The article doesn't give much, and a lawyer claiming something is considerably damaged when defending a client is always hyperbolic. Did you look up more info?

Either way, 30 mill could set you and your descendants (should you be able to make any) for life. Life's pretty damn short, so never having to work again at the cost of not being able to crank it anymore? I'd seriously consider it.

[-] foggy@lemmy.world 0 points 3 weeks ago

We're so glad to have your nuanced take here. Thanks for stopping by!

[-] Buffalox@lemmy.world 0 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Your comment adds nothing, and is just a waste of space.
If you find this kind of fines to be OK for an accident, then how about if it wasn't Starbucks, but a privately owned cafe?
Having the risk of that kind of fine as a minor business is insane. If this happens only against major businesses it's exploitation of that.

[-] person1@lemm.ee 0 points 2 weeks ago

Finally, someone standing up for the big business to defend them from exploitation and fight for their right to disfigure our penises!

[-] Buffalox@lemmy.world 0 points 2 weeks ago

Yes because being a big business automatically makes it their fault. 😜

[-] person1@lemm.ee 0 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

I'd say that negligence made it their fault, but u do u 😘

[-] Buffalox@lemmy.world -1 points 2 weeks ago

Just watched the video, and the drinks seems to me to be firmly seated in the tray by the server. The driver spills the drinks on himself after the server very carefully gave them to him.

this post was submitted on 15 Mar 2025
3 points (100.0% liked)

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