Peninsula woman charged by cow awarded $2.45 million in injury suit

Azevedo Feed in Half Moon Bay Azevedo Feed in Half Moon Bay Photo: Google Maps Photo: Google Maps Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Peninsula woman charged by cow awarded $2.45 million in injury suit 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

A woman who was seriously injured by a cow being kept as a pet in Half Moon Bay in 2016 was awarded more than $2.4 million last week by a San Mateo jury.

The woman, Elvina Pereira (who is of no relation to this author), visited Azevedo Feed to buy food for her horses on April 23, 2016. After her purchase, a store employee led her across the street, to where the company's pet black Angus beef cow, Holly, was in a pen with her two recently born calves.

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When they entered the pen, Holly rubbed her head against Pereira's leg, but when the employee approached the calves, the mother cow became aggressive and charged Pereira. Pereira said Holly hit her, knocking her back several times and pinning her hard to the fence. It wasn't until the employee kicked Holly, she says, that the cow got off her chest.

Pereira was then rushed to Stanford Medical Center, where she was found to have eight broken and two displaced ribs. The following February, she sued the Azevedo Corporation, which manages Azevedo Feed, and is owned by the Wilbur and Cecelia Azevedo Family Trust.

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The lengthy trial concluded last week with the jury awarding Pereira a total of nearly $2.5 million: $114,600 for previous medical bills, $250,000 for past pain and suffering, $1.3 million for future medical expenses and $750,000 for future pain and suffering.

Pereira and her lawyer, Boris E. Efron, say since her injury, Pereira cannot participate in the active hobbies she once had, and that she now has pursue sedentary career options.

Azevedo Feed has not yet responded to a request for comment.

Alyssa Pereira is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at apereira@sfchronicle.com or find her on Twitter at @alyspereira.

