Emily Willis now has court approval for a $3 million settlement after a Los Angeles judge signed off on the deal tied to injuries she suffered while receiving treatment at Summit Malibu. The order settles claims brought by Willis and her mother, Yesenia Lara Cooper, and it does so because she can no longer manage her own affairs.
Judge Susan Bryant-Deason of Santa Monica Superior Court approved the settlement on Willis’s behalf. Court filings say she can no longer move her body and only occasionally opens her eyes or grunts, while her attorney, James A. Morris Jr., said she probably has locked in syndrome.
Santa Monica Superior Court approval
The $3 million figure gives the case its legal endpoint, at least for now. Because Willis is no longer able to handle her own affairs, a judge had to review and approve the settlement instead of letting the agreement stand on signature alone. That is the practical consequence here: the money is not just a private deal between sides, but a court-sanctioned resolution of claims tied to a reported irreversible brain injury.
Morris underscored the severity in a court declaration: “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”. His separate description of her condition was “locked in syndrome”.
Summit Malibu response
The lawsuit accused Summit Malibu of failing to provide appropriate care after Willis’s brain was deprived of oxygen in 2024. Summit Malibu denied any wrongdoing and said Willis repeatedly refused medical advice, declined prescribed medications, and rejected recommendations to go to urgent care or a hospital.
The facility also said its staff had no legal authority to force her to seek outside medical treatment and that Banuelos was regularly monitored throughout her stay. That clash matters because it leaves the settlement resolving liability claims without answering the underlying question of exactly what event caused the oxygen loss in the first place.
Emily Willis and May 2019
Banuelos, who performs under the name Emily Willis, was named Penthouse Pet of the Month in May 2019 before leaving the adult film industry and winning multiple Adult Video News awards. In this case, though, the public record now centers on incapacity, court approval, and a payout that closes the family’s legal claim without restoring the physical abilities she lost.
For readers following the case, the immediate takeaway is simple: the settlement is approved, the family’s lawsuit is resolved, and the next meaningful issue is not another headline number but the unanswered medical chain that led to her injury.
