A Jefferson Parish, Louisiana jury awarded $50 million Thursday to a man who suffered third-degree burns to his lap and inner thighs when a Starbucks venti latte spilled through a defectively sealed lid during a drive-through handoff, scalding him through his clothing.
The plaintiff, Michael Thibodaux, 52, ordered the beverage at a Metairie, Louisiana Starbucks location in January 2025. According to trial testimony, the barista handed the cup through the drive-through window and the lid separated from the cup before Thibodaux could secure it in his center console, spilling approximately 20 fluid ounces of 190-degree liquid onto his lap.
The Defective Lid Allegation
Plaintiffs’ attorneys argued the specific lid used — Starbucks’ dome lid, introduced chainwide in 2023 — has a documented failure mode in which the locking tab does not engage completely when the cup is slightly underfilled, creating a false positive “click” for baristas and customers.
An expert in packaging engineering testified that Starbucks had received over 340 customer burn complaints related to the dome lid in its first year of deployment and had internally flagged the lid for review three times without taking corrective action.
The Injuries
Thibodaux was treated at a burn center for six days. He required skin grafting for third-degree burns covering 14% of his body. He testified he can no longer wear pants without experiencing pain from scar sensitivity and has not returned to his job as a warehouse manager.
Starbucks’ Defense
Starbucks argued the coffee was served at industry-standard temperature, the lid functioned properly, and that Thibodaux’s improper handling caused the spill. The jury rejected the defense, assigning 90% liability to Starbucks and 10% comparative fault to Thibodaux, reducing the compensatory portion accordingly.
Starbucks said it will appeal.