Starbucks ordered to pay $50 million to man burned by hot tea
A man was awarded $50 million from Starbucks after a large hot drink spilled on his lap in a drive-thru, causing life altering third-degree burns.
Church’s Texas Chicken has to fork over thousands of dollars to a woman after a judge ruled the company served her pot pie that was too hot, causing her to suffer second-degree burns.
The company will pay Yolanda Jackson $20,000 plus court costs for the incident on Jan. 18, 2020, according to court documents USA TODAY obtained Aug. 28 through her lawyer, Truman Fitzgerald.
Jackson, who lives in Alabama, said the chicken restaurant sold her food that was “too hot for human consumption,” leading to serious injuries, a January 2022 court filing reads. According to Fitzgerald, his client bought both chicken and a chicken pot pie, with the latter causing burns.
The ruling came after a judge dismissed her initial lawsuit in May 2025, Fitzgerald told USA TODAY. She ultimately appealed the initial ruling, he said.
Following a one-day bench trial in the Jefferson County Circuit Court’s Bessemer Division on Aug. 24, a circuit court judge ruled in Jackson’s favor, according to Fitzgerald.
Here’s what to know about the Church’s Texas Chicken lawsuit.
Woman suffered multiple burns, lawsuit says
The plaintiff, Jackson, is in her 50s, her lawyer told USA TODAY.
In January 2020, she bought chicken and chicken pot pie from a Church’s Texas Chicken location in Midfield, Alabama, about 10 1⁄2 miles southwest of Birmingham, per court documents reviewed by USA TODAY.
Jackson suffered serious injuries to her face, lip, mouth, left wrist and other body parts, including second-degree burns, the lawsuit reads. She had to go to the emergency room and get follow-up treatment, leading to medical expenses.
The incident also led to “mental anguish” for the woman, the lawsuit reads.
“(She) has been permanently injured and has lost the enjoyment of daily activities,” the lawsuit continued. “Yolanda has lost time from work and may lose income in the future.”
Church’s Texas Chicken will have to pay her $20,000 plus court costs, per the document.
USA TODAY contacted Church’s Texas Chicken and the company’s lawyer, Evan P. Baggett, on Aug. 28 but did not receive an immediate response.
Fitzgerald said he and his client are grateful for both the judge who oversaw the case and the restaurant’s attorney “just for being great to work with and giving Ms. Jackson a voice.”
“What this case demonstrates is that if you can’t work out your agreements originally, that is the beauty of our court system,” Fitzgerald said. “Ms. Jackson feels like she has closure and she is just excited to enjoy her life from this point on.”
What is Church’s Texas Chicken?
Church’s Texas Chicken was founded in San Antonio in 1952. For decades, the restaurant chain was known as Church’s Chicken. In 2019, the company rebranded to pay homage to its Texas roots.
According to a July 2026 news release, Church’s Texas Chicken and its sister brand Texas Chicken have more than 1,500 locations in 25 countries.
Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY’s trending team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Email her at sdmartin@usatoday.com.