$50M Verdict Against Starbucks After Hot Tea Burns Driveropy

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A Los Angeles jury slapped Starbucks with a massive $50 million verdict after a delivery driver suffered life-altering burns from spilled tea.

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Michael Garcia's routine drive-through stop turned catastrophic when an unsecured hot tea toppled onto his lap, causing third-degree burns within seconds.

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Security cameras captured Garcia's immediate reaction as the scalding liquid spilled, leading to permanent injuries that required multiple skin grafts.

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The colony places resin throughout their nests after treating it with formic acid spray to fight bacterial and fungal pathogens.

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Starbucks offered $30 million to settle, but only if they apologized and revised safety protocols—terms the coffee giant refused.

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After the verdict, Starbucks maintained its innocence, calling the damages "excessive" and promising to appeal the decision.

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The case echoes the infamous McDonald's hot coffee lawsuit from the 1990s, where similar injuries resulted in a multi-million dollar verdict.

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This isn't Starbucks' first hot beverage lawsuit—a California man spent 11 days in a burn unit after a similar incident in 2018.

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Garcia now battles daily pain and PTSD from the incident, with his attorney emphasizing that "no amount of money can undo" his permanent harm.

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The landmark verdict raises fresh questions about drive-through safety standards and corporate accountability in the fast-food industry.

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