Texas Restaurant Ordered to Pay $2.8 Million After Teen's BBQ Sauce Burn Injury
A Texas restaurant, Bill Miller Bar-B-Q Enterprises, has been ordered to pay $2.8 million to a teenager who suffered severe burns from scalding barbecue sauce. The jury's verdict, delivered last week, includes over $25,000 for medical expenses, $900,000 for past and future mental anguish, and $1.9 million in punitive damages.
The incident occurred in May 2023 when 19-year-old Genesis Monita and her sister visited the Bill Miller location in San Antonio. After ordering breakfast tacos with barbecue sauce, Ms. Monita was burned when the extremely hot sauce container slipped from her hands. While the restaurant's policy stipulates that sauce should be served at a minimum of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, the lawsuit alleges that the sauce was at a dangerous 189 degrees.
Reflecting on her experience, Ms. Monita expressed disappointment that the restaurant had not offered an apology and aimed to prioritize customer safety. Before the jury's decision, Bill Miller had made an initial settlement offer, including covering her medical bills and lost wages, which she declined.
The case is notable in the larger context of similar incidents. In 2023, a Florida family was awarded $800,000 after their daughter was burned by hot food from a McDonald's drive-thru.
Weekly Newsletter
News summary by melangenews