Kanye West Settles Lawsuit With Paparazzi

Kanye West flashed a big smile to settle a paparazzo's lawsuit and avoid trial.

The musician and designer skirted the courtroom battle — which had been set to start next week — by reaching a private pact with celebrity photographer Daniel Ramos. The settlement included an in-person apology and friendly photo op sealed with a handshake, Ramos' lawyer Gloria Allred announced Tuesday.

The lawyer declined to give any financial terms of the deal.

"We cannot discuss the details of the settlement, except to say that one important aspect of it was an apology by Kanye West to our client," Allred said.

"We believe that this case sent an important message," she said. "Celebrities are not above the law, and they have no right to physically attack someone simply because they were asked a question."

That July 2013 physical altercation began when West lost his cool with Ramos outside the Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX airport.

Ramos and other photographers were gathered out on a sidewalk waiting to snap globetrotting celebs when West exited the terminal to a flurry of questions.

"Kanye, can we talk to you, Kanye? ... What's going on? Why can't we talk to you? I mean why?" Ramos asked from about 10 feet away, according to Allred.

The shutterbug was inquiring because a week earlier, West shouted at a different photographer that he didn't want any paparazzi speaking to him or "anybody" he knew.

West stopped walking, put his bag down and suddenly attacked Ramos "without provocation," Allred said.

Ramos held onto his camera as West tried to wrestle it away. He fell down on his knees on the paved sidewalk with enough force that he sustained injuries to his right hip and was in "great pain," Allred said.

Ramos flagged down a passing officer and was transported by ambulance to a local hospital for treatment, a police source previously told the Daily News.

The photographer filed his civil lawsuit in August 2013 claiming assault, battery, negligence and violation of his civil rights.

West was charged a month later with attempted grand theft and misdemeanor battery by the Los Angeles City Attorney.

West later claimed his emotions were running high that day because of some bad personal news.

"That's the day I found out that my grandfather was not going to make it," West said in an October 2013 video interview with Splash News.

He told Splash that Ramos was to blame.

"The guy set me up," West said. "I tried to stop his camera, he fell down, he faked it, and then people are talking about …'Why did you hit that guy?' I obviously didn't hit the guy."

West hadn't yet married Kim Kardashian, but the couple had just welcomed their daughter North, now almost two years old, a month earlier.

"We're in this together," West told Splash. "You guys help me influence, you help with the family, you help Kim's power and everything … I'm not tryin to be at you guys in any negative way, and I don't want you being negative to me."

West, 37, later struck a plea deal in the case.

He pleaded no contest to misdemeanor battery in March 2014 and was sentenced to two years of probation, anger management classes and community service.

Ramos was seeking general and punitive damage with his civil claim.

"We are very proud of our client Danny Ramos and his courage in bringing and pursuing this case which was so important to him and many other celebrity photographers," Allred said Tuesday.

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