US court orders coffee company to pay $5m to injured delivery boy

A court in California, United States, has ordered multinational coffee company Starbucks to pay a hefty compensation of $5 million (approximately PKR 13.9 billion) to a delivery boy who suffered severe burns due to a hot beverage.

The court ruled that the amount will be paid to Michael Garcia, a delivery boy who was severely burned when a hot drink spilled on him while he was picking up a food package from Starbucks.

According to media reports, the incident occurred on February 8, 2020, when Garcia picked up an order from a Starbucks drive-thru in Los Angeles.

Court documents revealed that the incident happened because Starbucks’ automatic coffee machine failed to properly secure the hot beverage in the container.

Garcia suffered third-degree burns, nerve damage, and significant bodily harm due to the incident.

His lawyer, Michael Parker, stated that his client was given a parcel containing three drinks, but one of the hot beverages was not properly secured, spilling onto Garcia’s lap and causing severe injuries.

“The physical and emotional wounds were devastating for Garcia, and the incident had a profound impact on the young man’s quality of life,” Parker added.

The jury ruled in favor of Garcia, ordering the company to pay substantial compensation considering his physical suffering, mental anguish, and long-term disability.

Starbucks has expressed disagreement with the jury’s verdict and announced plans to appeal the decision in a higher court.

A Starbucks spokesperson stated, “We sympathize with Mr. Garcia, but we disagree with the jury’s verdict that this was our fault and that the compensation awarded was excessive.”