A California jury ordered R&B star Chris Brown to pay more than $13.8 million in total damages to a housekeeper mauled by a guard dog at his Tarzana home, with additional awards for her family. 

The verdict concluded a 2021 lawsuit stemming from a 2020 incident where Maria Avila was attacked by Hades, a Caucasian shepherd, The Guardian reported.

The financial penalties are heavily concentrated on compensating the primary victim, though family members also received payouts. 

A Van Nuys jury awarded Maria Avila $12.9 million in damages. Her sister Patricia Avila was awarded $885,000 for emotional distress, while Maria Avila's husband, Oscar Olivo, was awarded $50,000.

Michael C. Murphy Jr., a lawyer for Patricia Avila, shared his relief with Rolling Stone after the verdict. 

"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," Murphy said.

The trial centered on a violent encounter and its aftermath. 

Maria Avila testified that the attack left her with serious arm and face injuries, requiring dozens of sutures and skin grafts from her abdomen to her arm, alongside post-traumatic stress disorder and permanent nerve damage that hinders her ability to work. 

Brown admitted negligence but disputed the severity of the injuries. He testified that he put the dog in a kennel after the attack and left before an ambulance arrived. Brown told the court he fled to avoid a "media circus, because of my status as an artist … so me just kind of staying away was advised."

Brown argued the dog was necessary because "I get a lot of stalker-type situations."

He claimed he warned Maria and Patricia Avila not to go outside without asking him due to the danger Hades posed, a claim the Avilas denied.

This civil defeat comes amid ongoing legal issues for Brown, who is currently on a North American stadium tour with Usher. 

He is scheduled for a London criminal trial on Oct. 26, 2026, at Southwark Crown Court, where he and co-defendant Omololu Akinlolu, known as musician HoodyBaby, face charges of grievous bodily harm with intent regarding the alleged 2023 assault of music producer Abraham Diaw. 

Brown pleaded not guilty after a 2025 arrest.

Brown's history of legal battles dates to 2009, when he was sentenced to community service and five years of probation after pleading guilty to physically assaulting his then-girlfriend Rihanna. A 2014 probation violation resulted in a 131-day jail sentence.

Additionally, a former manager's assault claim led to an out-of-court settlement in 2016, and another girlfriend, Karrueche Tran, secured a restraining order against him in 2017.

Recently, a judge dismissed Brown's $500 million lawsuit against the creators of the documentary "Chris Brown: A History of Violence," ruling the film was balanced. However, the judge allowed Brown's separate defamation lawsuit to proceed against a woman who accused him of a 2020 rape on a Miami yacht.