A housekeeper who was mauled by a large dog outside singer Chris Brown’s Los Angeles home in 2020 has agreed to accept a reduced compensation award of $9.5 million (£7.2 million) following a court ruling that cut down the original jury award.
Maria Avila was initially awarded $12.9 million (£9.8 million) by a jury in June after successfully suing over injuries she sustained in the attack.
However, Judge Huey Cotton later ruled that the jury’s award was excessive and not adequately supported by the evidence presented during the trial.
He offered Avila the reduced $9.5 million settlement or ordered her to face a new trial specifically to determine damages.In a notice filed on Thursday, Avila’s lawyer confirmed that she had accepted the reduced amount.
“Maria Avila hereby unequivocally accepts and consents to the reduction of her damages award,” the lawyer wrote in the court filing.
Avila’s legal team had urged the court to reduce the original award by a smaller amount, arguing that she should receive $11 million (£8.3 million).
During the trial, her lawyers detailed the lasting impact of the attack, saying Avila suffered serious damage to her radial nerve, which affected movement in her wrist and fingers and weakened her ability to grip objects.
The injuries have also affected everyday activities including writing, typing, dressing, grooming herself and cleaning, her lawyers told the court.
Tearful testimony over 2020 attack
Avila and Brown both testified during the trial in Los Angeles in June, with Avila becoming emotional as she described the attack at Brown’s home in Tarzana, a neighbourhood in the San Fernando Valley.
The incident occurred on December 12, 2020, when Avila was attacked by a large dog outside the singer’s residence.
She told jurors that the mauling left her with severe injuries to her arm and face, extensive scarring and post-traumatic stress disorder.
“I will never be the same again,” Avila told the court.
The case centred on the physical and psychological consequences of the attack, with Avila’s legal team arguing that her injuries had permanently affected her ability to carry out ordinary daily tasks.
The court’s decision means Avila will receive $9.5 million in damages rather than the $12.9 million initially awarded by the jury, bringing an end to the dispute over the amount of compensation unless further legal action is pursued.
