#Roommates, Vanessa Bryant is officially taking legal action due to the tragic helicopter crash that claimed the lives of her husband Kobe Bryant and her 13-year-old daughter, Gianna Bryant. Vanessa has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the company that owned the helicopter, as well as the pilot who flew that day.
According to TMZ, Vanessa Bryant is not letting the heartbreaking deaths of her husband and daughter go with consequence, as it’s been reported that she has just filed a wrongful death lawsuit. Vanessa has just sued Island Express, the company that owned the helicopter that crashed and ultimately killed Kobe Bryant and Gigi Bryant along with seven other passengers.
The lawsuit claims that the helicopter should never have been placed in the path of danger it was in prior to the fateful accident on January 26th. Additionally, the lawsuit further alleges that Island Express was only allowed to fly under visual flight rules, however the conditions on the day of the crash were not conducive for such flying. As you’ll recall from previous reports, the fog was extremely low that day and the pilot was in blinding conditions.
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As for the pilot, Ara George Zobayan, the lawsuit targets him also, pointing out that he was going180 miles per hour in the heavy fog in a steep decline mere moments before crashing the helicopter in Calabasas, California. The lawsuit also claims that Zobayan didn’t properly monitor and assess the weather prior to takeoff, failed to obtain proper weather data prior to the flight, failed to abort the flight when he knew of the cloudy condition, failed to maintain control of the helicopter and failed to avoid “natural obstacles” in the flight path. Zobayan’s 2015 violation for visual flight rule minimums for flying into airspace with reduced visibility, was also brought up in the lawsuit.
Island Express was further named in the lawsuit due to engaging in unnecessary and needlessly risky means of transportation under the circumstances. Vanessa is asking for damages for “pre-impact” terror — damages for the emotional trauma Kobe and Gigi suffered as the pilot struggled to get out of the clouds before the crash.
The lawsuit also seeks further damages for loss of love, affection, care, society, service, comfort, support, right to support, companionship, solace or moral support and expectations of future support and counseling—and also compensation for loss of financial support and for burial and funeral expenses.
As of right now, the amount of damages has not been made public, but given that Vanessa is asking for punitive damages, the lawsuit could easily total millions.
Roommates, what are your thoughts on this?
