Michael García, a 22-year-old man, will be compensated with 50 million dollars after suffering severe burns from an incident involving a hot drink at a famous coffee franchise. The incident occurred in 2020 at a location in Los Angeles, California, while García was picking up an order in the parking lot.
During the trial in Los Angeles County, it was shown that the company had not properly secured the container of the drink, which caused severe injuries to García. As a result, after several reconstructive surgeries, including skin grafts in the genital area, the jury determined that the company was responsible for the incident.
After the coffee chain did not agree to the initial demands, the trial proceeded, and the final compensation for García was significantly higher. He was even diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of the negligence suffered.
García's legal representatives argued that the company had already been warned about the dangers of not adequately securing containers of hot drinks; however, it did not take action on this matter. Despite the company's initial offers to reach a settlement of 30 million dollars, García declined these proposals, demanding a public apology and changes in the company's policies.
The company, for its part, expressed its disagreement with the jury's verdict and announced its intention to appeal the decision. In a statement, they claimed to maintain high safety standards in handling hot drinks and supported their methods regarding consumer safety.
