Vanessa Bryant Settles Wrongful Death Lawsuit Over 2020 Helicopter Crash

Vanessa Bryant is (hopefully) a lot closer to putting the tragic helicopter crash that killed her husband, Kobe Bryant, and 13-year-old daughter, Gianna Bryant, behind her.

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The mother of four has reportedly settled a wrongful death lawsuit against Island Express Helicopters, the company that operated the aircraft involved in the deaths of Kobe, Gianna, and seven others who were killed on January 26, 2020.

According to reports from ABC 7, Bryant and her co-plaintiffs reached a confidential settlement with the company earlier this week, which comes nearly 17 months after the fatal helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. The passengers on board with the Bryants—Alyssa Altobelli, John Altobelli, Keri Altobelli, Payton Chester, Sarah Chester, and Christina Mauser—were all killed in the crash, along with the helicopter pilot Ara Zobayan, whose estate was listed as a defendant.

The Altobelli, Chester, and Mauser families were all reportedly involved in the settlement. As of now, the terms of the agreement–which has yet to be approved by the court–have not been disclosed.

News broke that Vanessa was filing a wrongful death lawsuit less than a month after the tragic incident last year. The 72-page, 27-count lawsuit argued the incident was “a direct result of the negligent conduct of Zobayan for which Defendant Island Express Helicopters is vicariously liable in all respects.” It also alleged Zoboyan had failed to “use ordinary care in piloting the subject aircraft.”

In the lawsuit, Bryant sought damages—punitive, economic, and non-economic—as well as prejudgment interest and “other relief as the Court deems just and proper.” The suit also stated, “Kobe Bryant’s future lost earnings equals hundreds of millions of dollars.”

Of course, no amount of money in the world can bring back any of the victims killed in that helicopter crash–but the recognition of wrong-doing and neglect is important to these grieving families, nonetheless.