The main Emily Willis lawsuit is a negligence case her mother filed against Summit Malibu, the luxury rehab facility where the adult film performer suffered cardiac arrest in February 2024 and was left with severe brain damage. In February 2026, the parties reached a conditional settlement, and court filings in April 2026 disclosed the amount: $3 million, subject to judicial approval because Willis remains incapacitated and cannot consent for herself. A separate defamation suit Willis had filed against two other performers in 2021 was dismissed in July 2025 after no one appeared on her behalf.
What Happened at Summit Malibu
Willis, whose legal name is Litzy Lara Banuelos, checked into Summit Malibu on January 27, 2024, seeking treatment for ketamine addiction. The lawsuit later filed by her family said she had been using five to six grams of ketamine daily for about a year. She tested negative for substances at intake but presented with bladder inflammation, depression, anxiety, PTSD, night terrors, and anorexia nervosa.1Yahoo Entertainment. Emily Willis Left Permanently Disabled
Over the following days her condition worsened. According to the complaint, she became frail and disoriented and suffered severe chills, tremors, an elevated heart rate, persistent headaches, difficulty walking, extreme fatigue, and loss of appetite. Staff observed the decline but did not transfer her to a hospital.2The Mirror. Emily Willis Body Under Huge Stress During Detox
On February 3, 2024, an emergency call was made on her behalf, but she was not taken to a hospital. Roughly 26 hours later a nurse practitioner found her unconscious and without a pulse. Staff performed CPR for 30 to 40 minutes before paramedics restored her heartbeat.3Mirror. Adult Star Emily Willis Permanently Disabled The oxygen deprivation caused catastrophic brain damage. She remained in a coma until May 2024.1Yahoo Entertainment. Emily Willis Left Permanently Disabled
What the Lawsuit Alleged
Willis’s mother, Yesenia Lara Cooper, filed the case in December 2024 in Santa Monica Superior Court against Summit Malibu and its parent company, Malibu Lighthouse Treatment Centers, LLC. It is styled Cooper v. Malibu Treatment Centers and Summit Malibu, Case No. 24SMCV06328.3Mirror. Adult Star Emily Willis Permanently Disabled
The complaint brought four sets of claims:
- Medical negligence, based on the facility’s alleged failure to monitor her worsening symptoms, supervise her adequately, or escalate her care to a hospital.
- Professional malpractice, based on alleged departures from standard medical protocols that should have triggered a hospital transfer.
- Abuse of a dependent adult, based on allegations she was kept in an unsafe and inadequately supervised environment while incapacitated.
- Fraudulent business practices, based on allegations the facility misrepresented the quality and level of medical care it could provide.
The suit alleged the combined failures produced “irreversible brain damage and permanent physical and mental incapacity, pain, suffering and emotional distress.”4MyNewsLA. Malibu Rehab Facility, Ill Porn Star’s Mom Tentatively Settle Lawsuit
How Summit Malibu Responded
Summit Malibu denied wrongdoing. In court filings, the facility said Willis “refused to follow medical recommendations and take her medications” and “refused to go to urgent care or the hospital voluntarily.” It said it had no legal authority to compel outside medical treatment and that she was “regularly monitored and seen by staff” during her stay.5Westside Current. Malibu Rehab Facility Moves to Settle Lawsuit Over Emily Willis Medical Crisis
Willis’s attorney, James A. Morris Jr., disputed that account. He said Willis “was in the danger zone the moment she walked through the doors” and that the facility neither diagnosed the severity of her condition on arrival nor tracked how rapidly she was declining.6LADbible. Emily Willis Health Update – Lawsuit Settlement
The $3 Million Settlement
On February 24, 2026, attorneys for Summit Malibu told Judge Mark A. Young that a conditional settlement had been reached, and the court placed the case in a “Stay – Conditional Settlement” status.7AOL. Emily Willis’s Lawyer Gives Positive Update Terms were initially confidential.
In late April 2026, court filings disclosed the figure: $3 million. Because Willis is incapacitated and cannot consent to the agreement, the settlement requires judicial approval. After attorneys’ fees and costs, Willis is expected to receive about $1.26 million. In a court declaration, Morris noted the case carried significant uncertainty and that the defendant continued to deny responsibility.8Westside Current. $3M Settlement Sought in Emily Willis Rehab Case A hearing on approval was set before Judge Susan Bryant-Deason for May 15, 2026, with a formal request for dismissal expected by September 1, 2026.9MyNewsLA. Adult Film Actress’ Mom Seeks $3M Settlement Approval
Willis’s Condition Today
As of early 2026, Willis is permanently disabled and living in her mother’s care in Utah. She cannot speak or move independently, but she can make sounds, move slightly, and track objects with her eyes. In March 2026, Morris described her as “improving, although be it slow and arduous,” and said she “is a fighter and is committed to returning to a functional lifestyle.”7AOL. Emily Willis’s Lawyer Gives Positive Update That was a step up from November 2025, when she was reported as bedridden and unable to talk.
There has been public speculation that Willis has locked-in syndrome. Her attorney said as of late 2025 that no formal diagnosis had been made and that the legal team was still gathering medical records and had retained a physiatrist to evaluate her level of awareness.10Daily Star. Emily Willis Health Updates – Movement
The Separate Defamation Lawsuit
Before her medical crisis, Willis had brought a different case. In October 2021, she filed a defamation suit in Los Angeles Superior Court against fellow adult performers Gianna Dior (Emily Katherine Correro) and Adria Rae (Kiersten Vanbelkum), seeking more than $5 million in compensatory and punitive damages.11New York Post. Porn Star Emily Willis Sues Over Alleged Dog Sex Tweets
The suit arose from a 2021 industry scandal involving a video that allegedly depicted women engaged in sexual acts with a dog. Willis alleged Dior posted tweets falsely identifying her as one of the people in the video, and that Dior “doubled down” when other performers pushed back on the rumor. Willis said the accusations “tanked her future career prospects” and led producers and industry figures to question her about the video.12XBIZ. Emily Willis Files $5M Twitter Defamation Suit Against Gianna Dior, Adria Rae11New York Post. Porn Star Emily Willis Sues Over Alleged Dog Sex Tweets
The case stalled after Willis’s cardiac arrest. Her original attorney withdrew, and no replacement counsel or guardian ad litem was ever appointed. In March 2025, Judge Michael Small warned the case would be dismissed if no one appeared for her, and when no representative showed at the next hearing he dismissed the suit without prejudice on July 28, 2025.13Yahoo Entertainment. Emily Willis Defamation Lawsuit Against Gianna Dior Dismissed Dismissal without prejudice technically leaves room to refile, though reporting on the ruling described that outcome as remote.14AVN. Emily Willis Lawsuit Against Gianna Dior Tossed Out by L.A. Judge