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Judge Slashes Dog Attack Payout, Offers New Trial
30 Sep
Summary
- Housekeeper's $12.9 million award was deemed excessive by the judge.
- Avila can accept $9.5 million or face a new trial on damages.
- The dog attack left Avila with permanent facial disfigurement and scarring.
A Los Angeles judge has offered a former housekeeper, Maria Avila, a choice regarding the dog-mauling case against Chris Brown. Avila was initially awarded $12.9 million by a jury after alleging she was severely injured by Brown's dog in December 2020, suffering permanent disfigurement and scarring.
Judge Huey P. Cotton found the jury's $12.9 million award excessive, citing insufficient evidence for permanent nerve damage and the jury's valuation of pain and suffering. Avila now has until October 2 to decide whether to accept a reduced payout of $9.5 million or proceed with a new trial focused exclusively on damages.
Brown's other legal arguments, including claims that the jury was tainted by his past felony conviction and objections to excluded testimony, were rejected by the court. The judge's ruling allows the case to move forward, with Avila's decision pending.
