Chris Brown may be headed back to court, but this time with millions of dollars potentially shaved off what he owes his former housekeeper.
A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge ruled that Brown should receive a new trial on damages in Maria Avila’s dog-attack lawsuit unless she agrees to reduce her $12.9 million jury award to $9.5 million, according to court documents obtained by TMZ.
The ruling gives Avila a choice to either accept the smaller payout or face another trial over how much Brown must pay.
According to the breaking news outlet, the judge found the original award excessive because there was “insufficient evidence of permanent nerve damage and of the value assigned to future pain and suffering.”
Avila claimed she suffered serious injuries after a large dog attacked her while she was working at Brown’s Tarzana, California, residence in 2020. She said the dog attacked while she was taking out the trash.
Brown denied wrongdoing.
Both sides later testified during the trial, and the jury ultimately awarded Avila $12.9 million.
Brown challenged the verdict afterward, arguing that jurors heard information about his past that should not have been part of the case. As previously reported, his objections included references to prior arrests and his 2009 assault of Rihanna.
Avila has been trying to collect the judgment and has even sought access to money tied to Brown’s touring income, including concerts with Usher.