Genitals scalded

Million-dollar lawsuit over loose lid on tea cup

This is what the Starbucks cups look like. The lid was not fitted properly. The hot drink spilled out.(Bild: AFP/(Photo by SCOTT OLSON / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

A delivery man suffered severe burns to his genital area due to a loose lid on a tea cup and is now receiving 50 million dollars in compensation from Starbucks.

A sloppy employee costs Starbucks several million dollars. A video shows the employee handing over three hot drinks at the drive-in. But one of the lids was not on the cup properly. During the handover, the 80-degree hot tea fell on the man.

"Paralyzing nerve damage"
Michael Garcia suffered "severe burns, disfigurement and paralyzing nerve damage to his genitals when hot drinks were spilled on his lap," according to the lawsuit, which was filed back in 2020.

The jury has now ordered the coffee chain to pay 50 million dollars.

"Michael Garcia's life has been forever changed. No amount of money can undo the lasting catastrophic harm he has suffered," said Nick Rowley, the victim's lawyer.

Too hot or too cold
This is not the first time a company has had to pay a lot of money to customers because the drink was too hot: the most famous case also took place in the USA in 1994. Stella Liebeck sued McDonald's after she suffered severe burns from hot coffee. The plaintiff was awarded 2.7 million dollars. The amount was reduced to 480,000 dollars.

But coffee can also be too cold, as a case from 2016 proves. Back then, Starbucks was sued for five million dollars for having too much ice in iced coffee drinks - also in the USA.