Chris Brown ordered to pay housekeeper $13m after dog attack left her with serious injuries

• Chris Brown has been ordered to pay $12.9 million in damages after a Los Angeles jury found him liable for negligence in a 2020 dog attack at his California home.

• Housekeeper Maria Avila suffered severe and permanent injuries, including facial scarring and partial vision loss, after being mauled by Brown’s Caucasian shepherd.

• The jury also awarded additional compensation to her sister and husband, bringing the total payout to nearly $13.9 million.

The case was brought by Maria Avila, who was taking out the rubbish at Brown’s Tarzana property when she was attacked by his Caucasian shepherd, named Hades. The animal, weighing around 200 pounds (90kg), caused severe injuries, including permanent facial scarring, nerve damage and partial loss of vision.

Court proceedings revealed that Brown was present at the property at the time of the incident but left without providing assistance or contacting emergency services. He later argued that his departure was due to concerns about media attention, stating that his team was capable of managing the situation.

He also disputed the circumstances that led to Avila being near the dog, claiming that Hades was not a domestic pet but a security animal used by his protection team. Brown further alleged that he had previously instructed Avila and her sister, Patricia, who also worked at the property, to avoid the area unless security personnel were present.

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However, both sisters rejected this account. Their legal representatives argued that any such instruction would have been impractical, as the women primarily communicated in Spanish rather than English.

The jury did not accept Brown’s defence. The singer and his company, Black Pyramid LLC, were found liable for negligence and ordered to pay Avila $12.9 million in compensation.

Patricia Avila, who was also present during the incident, was awarded $885,000, while their husband and father, Oscar Olivo, received $50,000.

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Altogether, the awards amount to nearly $13.9 million, making it one of the most notable celebrity-related personal injury rulings in recent years. The case was widely reported by international outlets including the BBC and Billboard.