Vanessa Bryant Seeking Extensive Damages Over Fatal Helicopter Crash
Back in February, Vanessa Bryant filed a wrongful death complaint in Los Angeles County Superior Court against Fillmore-based Island Express Holding Corp. and Island Express Helicopter. Now it is being reported that the 38-year-old is seeking extensive damages.
PEOPLE reports the documents did not specify the exact amount but estimates the Bryant family lost "hundreds of millions" in future earnings due to Kobe's tragic death.
The documents reportedly state, "As a result of Kobe Bryant's and GB's deaths, Vanessa Bryant seeks economic damages, non-economic damages, prejudgment interest, punitive damages, and other relief as the Court deems just and proper.”
According to the Los Angeles Times on Feb. 24, the lawsuit alleges that pilot Ara Zobayan, who also died in the crash, failed “to use ordinary care in piloting the subject aircraft” and was negligent.
The lawsuit also stated, “Defendant Island Express Helicopters authorized, directed and/or permitted a flight with full knowledge that the subject helicopter was flying into unsafe weather conditions.”
On February 8, a report of the crash was released citing that the Zobayan was just 100 feet, or 12 seconds, away from exiting heavy clouds when, instead of continuing to increase altitude, he made a left turn and crashed into the terrain at 180 mph.
“If you exit the bottom of the clouds at 4,000 feet per minute at that high speed, you’ve certainly lost control of the aircraft,” air safety consultant Kipp Lau of the National Transportation Safety Board said. “Once you break out of the clouds it’s clear. Everything lines up with the body.”
Another aviation expert claimed Zobayan, who had piloted Kobe Bryant many times before, was likely trying to maneuver quickly to clear clouds by moving the aircraft up and forward, but made a fatal error with a left turn. The report also stated that it’s most likely that the helicopter crashed fully in-tact.
Kobe, their daughter Gianna, along with seven other people, were killed on January 26 while taking a helicopter to the Mamba Academy for basketball practice in nearby Thousand Oaks.
Vanessa Bryant is seeking a jury trial but a date has not been set.
