Former adult film performer Litzy Lara Banuelos, known professionally as Emily Willis, will receive a $3 million settlement after a medical emergency during a stay at a Malibu rehabilitation center. A Los Angeles judge approved the agreement after Banuelos was left with irreversible brain damage and is unable to manage her own affairs.
Banuelos, 27, entered treatment seeking help for ketamine addiction in 2024. She is now unable to move her body and remains profoundly incapacitated, according to court filings.
Settlement Requires Court Approval
Santa Monica Superior Court Judge Susan Bryant-Deason approved the settlement on behalf of Banuelos and her mother, Yesenia Lara Cooper. The agreement resolves claims connected to Banuelos’ care at Summit Malibu, while the facility denied wrongdoing.
Her attorney said Banuelos may occasionally open her eyes or grunt but does not consistently respond to people around her. Her condition followed an anoxic brain injury, which occurs when the brain is deprived of oxygen.
| Case Detail | Amount | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Settlement for Banuelos | $3 million | Approved by the court |
| Initially requested legal fees | $1.2 million | Reduced during proceedings |
| Legal fees ultimately sought | $1 million | Submitted with settlement request |
Competing Accounts of Her Care
Cooper’s lawsuit alleged that negligence, abandonment and recklessness by Summit Malibu directly led to her daughter’s permanent physical and cognitive injuries. The claims centered on whether the center provided appropriate care before Banuelos suffered the medical crisis.
Summit Malibu argued in court filings that Banuelos repeatedly declined medical advice, prescribed medications and recommendations to visit an urgent care center or hospital. The facility said its staff had no legal authority to force her to seek outside treatment and maintained that she was regularly monitored.
Attorney James A. Morris Jr. said the outcome was not assured despite the severity of Banuelos’ injuries. “Having lived and breathed this case for nearly two years, I can state with confidence that Ms. Banuelos is significantly injured, but that this case was no slam dunk,” Morris wrote in a court declaration.
Morris also said the precise cause of the crisis remains unknown and questioned whether the facility could have prevented the injuries given Banuelos’ condition when she entered treatment. Court documents described the issues as central to the dispute, www.the-independent.com reported.
A Career Before the Medical Crisis
Before leaving the adult film industry, Banuelos was among its best-known performers under the name Emily Willis. She was named Penthouse Pet of the Month in May 2019 and received multiple Adult Video News awards, including Female Performer of the Year in 2021.
The approved settlement brings the civil claims to a resolution, but it does not change the extent of Banuelos’ reported long-term condition. Her mother pursued the case because Banuelos cannot make decisions or manage her own affairs.