Source : PERTHNOW NEWS
Chris Brown has been ordered to pay almost $13 million to his former housekeeper after she was mauled by his dog.
The Run It hitmaker was sued back in 2021 for $71 million in damages by Maria Avila over an alleged “vicious and brutal” attack from his dog while she was working at his California home in December 2020 and on Tuesday (30.06.26), jurors determined that he and his compant Black Pyramid LLC must pay the woman $12.9 million in damages for negligence.
In addition, Maria’s sister, Patricia Avila, who was working with her sibling at the time, was awarded $885,000 for emotional distress and Maria’s husband Oscar Olivo won another $50,000.
Patricia’s lawyer, Michael C. Murphy Jr., told Billboard: “After more than five years of litigating against Chris Brown, we are thrilled that we were able to get justice for our client, Patricia.
“We are so happy for her and her family after everything they went through on that horrible day.
“It was an honour to represent her.”
Maria had sued over the incident back in 2021 and the matter only went to trial last month.
While Chris had accepted some liability for negligence ahead of the trial, he disputed the extent of the housekeeper’s injuries and argued in his testimony that she was partly at fault because he had warned the sisters the dogs on his property were “absolutely not” friendly and they shouldn’t go outside unless accompanied by security staff.
The 37-year-old singer stressed the 200lb dog, Hades, wasn’t his personal pet but had been bought and was looked after by his security guards to help protect his house.
He told the jury: “I get a lot of stalker-type situations.”
Maria had alleged the Caucasian Orvchake/Caucasian Shepherd dog came out of nowhere while she was taking out the trash and “savagely” bit her face, arms and body, leading to chunks of her skin being ripped out.
The claimed alleged she was left laying in a pool of her own blood while listening to Chris telling his security guards to remove the dog from the property.
She claimed she feared her life was over on the day in question and sought damages for emotional distress and to cover the cost of her medical bills.
However, the Loyal hitmaker and his legal team argued the housekeeper’s injuries were caused by her own behaviour, claiming she had
“voluntarily teased, abused, and mistreated the dog and thereby provoked the attack.”
His lawyer wrote in court documents: “[Maria] invited the injuries now complained of and assumed the risk of them with full knowledge of the magnitude of that risk, in that she knew her foregoing conduct might cause the dog to attack her, and seriously injure her, both of which events are alleged to have occurred.”
