A delivery driver in Los Angeles, California, was awarded over 70 billion won after suffering burns when a hot beverage he received from a Starbucks store spilled.

A Starbucks employee hands coffee to a delivery driver, causing an incident where it spills on the thigh area due to the lid not being properly closed. /Courtesy of NBC Los Angeles report video capture.

CNN reported that on the 15th (local time), a jury in California's Superior Court ordered Starbucks to pay $50 million (about 72.7 billion won) after finding that the company failed to properly secure the lid of a hot beverage, resulting in severe burns to a customer.

According to reports, the delivery driver Michael Garcia alleged in a lawsuit filed in California’s Superior Court in 2020 that while picking up a beverage at a drive-through Starbucks in Los Angeles, "a hot beverage spilled onto his knee, causing severe burns, disfigurement, and serious nerve damage to his genitals."

In an incident in 2020 at a drive-through Starbucks in Los Angeles, Garcia experienced a situation where a venti-sized hot beverage fell onto his lap while he was receiving a tray containing three drinks.

In court, Garcia asserted that Starbucks was negligent in not properly securing the lid of the beverage. This is said to have caused one drink to fall on Garcia when the employee handed over the drinks.

Garcia's attorney noted, "Garcia's life has been forever changed. No amount of money can reverse the permanent damage that was nothing short of a disaster for him," and the Los Angeles County jury found that Starbucks was fully responsible for Garcia's injuries.

Initially, Starbucks offered $3 million (about 4.36 billion won) before the lawsuit, but after the lawsuit was filed, the company proposed $30 million (about 43.06 billion won).

Garcia demanded an apology from Starbucks and a change in policy, asking that a directive be issued to all Starbucks stores to "double-check before serving customers hot beverages." Starbucks refused these requests and was ordered to pay $50 million in damages.

Starbucks plans to appeal the ruling. A spokesperson said in a statement, "We express our regrets to Mr. Garcia, but we do not agree with the jury's ruling that we are at fault in this case, and we believe the awarded damages are excessive," adding, "We have always adhered to the highest safety standards, including the handling of hot beverages in our stores."