A California judge is considering reducing by almost 40% the $12.9 million awarded to a former housekeeper over the Chris Brown dog attack that left her seriously injured and permanently scarred.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Huey P. Cotton indicated during a hearing on Thursday that he was unlikely to abandon his tentative proposal to remove more than $5 million from the jury’s award to Maria Avila.
The final amount has not yet been determined, and Cotton said he would consider further arguments about how the reduction should be allocated across the different categories of damages.
Lawyer challenges scale of proposed reduction
Avila’s lawyer, Nancy Doumanian, urged Cotton to impose a smaller reduction, arguing that the jury’s original award reflected the severity and permanent nature of her injuries.
“The magnitude of the current reduction is almost 40 percent. That’s over $5 million,” Doumanian told the court.
She asked the judge to reduce the award to $11 million rather than the approximately $8 million suggested by his tentative decision.
Doumanian also challenged the judge’s preliminary conclusion that insufficient evidence had been presented to establish permanent nerve damage.
She pointed to testimony from the surgeon who treated Avila immediately after the attack and during subsequent reconstructive procedures.
The doctor testified that damage to Avila’s radial nerve had reduced movement in her wrist and fingers, affecting her ability to grip objects, write, dress, clean and perform other everyday activities.
Avila was also said to suffer continuing neurological problems in her face, including increased sensitivity to pain.
Cotton said he would consider how any reduction should be distributed, particularly in relation to the $900,000 awarded for future medical expenses. However, he appeared unwilling to reconsider the overall size of the proposed cut.
The judge told Avila’s legal team that she could either accept the reduced award or pursue another trial.
Chris Brown dog attack left lasting injuries
Avila was attacked on December 12, 2020, while working at Brown’s home in Tarzana, Los Angeles.
She testified that she had gone outside to empty a vacuum bag when Hades, a large Caucasian shepherd kept as a security dog, attacked her without warning.
Avila suffered serious injuries to her face and arm, requiring dozens of stitches and skin grafts taken from her abdomen. She told jurors that the attack also left her with post-traumatic stress disorder, extensive scarring and continuing physical limitations.
Brown admitted negligence under California’s dog-bite law before the trial but disputed the extent of Avila’s injuries. He also argued that she was partly responsible because she went outside alone after allegedly being warned about the dogs.
A jury awarded Avila $12.9 million after a two-week trial in June. Her sister, Patricia Avila, received a separate $885,000 award, while Avila’s husband, Oscar Olivo, was awarded $50,000.
Brown seeks new trial
Brown’s lawyers subsequently requested a new trial, arguing that the damages were excessive and that the judge should not have allowed jurors to learn that the singer had a previous felony conviction.
The jury was told only that Brown had a felony conviction and did not hear details of the case, which arose from his 2009 assault on his then-girlfriend Rihanna.
The court has not issued its final ruling on either the reduction of Avila’s damages or Brown’s request for a new trial.
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