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Published 18:34 IST, June 9th 2020

Vanessa Bryant seeks 'hundreds of millions of dollars' from wrongful death lawsuit: Report

According to recent reports, Vanessa Bryant is seeking hundreds of millions from the wrongful death lawsuit she had filed after Kobe Bryant's death in January.

Reported by: Devika Pawar
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In February, Vanessa Bryant filed a 'wrongful death' lawsuit after the death of the Lakers legend Kobe Bryant and her 13-year-old daughter Gianna. Kobe Bryant, Gianna Bryant and six others including their pilot Ara Zobayan lost their lives in a tragic helicopter crash on January 26 in Calabasas, California. As per recent reports, Vanessa is seeking hundreds of millions from the lawsuit. 

Also read | Vanessa Bryant sues Kobe Bryant's helicopter company in wrongful death lawsuit: Vanessa Bryant lawsuit

Vanessa Bryant lawsuit seeks hundreds of millions from the helicopter company

As per reports, Vanessa Bryant is claiming that her family has lost a significant amount of money due to Kobe Bryant's sudden and untimely death. As per court documents acquired by E! News, Vanessa 'seeks economic damages, non-economic damages, prejudgment interest, punitive damages, and other relief as the court deems just and proper'. While a specific amount is not mentioned in the document, it states that 'Kobe Bryant's future lost earnings equals hundreds of millions of dollars'. The 72-page lawsuit was filed in February against Island Express Helicopters and Ara George Zobayan, the pilot who was flying the helicopter and also passed away during the crash that claimed the lives of nine people. 

Also read | Vanessa Bryant sues LASD for allegedly sharing Kobe Bryant crash scene photos: Vanessa Bryant lawsuit

The lawsuit accuses that the helicopter crash was 'a direct result of the negligent conduct of Zobayan for which Defendant Island Express Helicopters is vicariously liable in all respects'. The lawsuit also adds that the crash was caused due to Zobayan's negligence as he decided to fly even in extremely bad weather conditions. As per reports, the section of the lawsuit which covers all the economic and monetary damages was added in a new case summary which was filed by Vanessa's lawyers on Monday. 

Also read | Vanessa Bryant inheritance: Vanessa Bryant to inherit late husband Kobe Bryant's $200 million BodyArmor shares, Vanessa Bryant Net Worth

Company responds to the Vanessa Bryant lawsuit

In May, The Island Express company that owned the helicopter responded to Vanessa Bryant's lawsuit. The company stated that passengers on board 'voluntarily assumed the risk of the accident' before the crash. The news was reported by TMZ, who quoted the company's statement. The company barred and reduced Vanessa's claims for damages as both Bryant and Gianna were aware of the 'particular dangers' and its magnitude.

Berge Zobayan, the pilot's brother, also responded to the lawsuit and accused Bryant and Gianna of negligence. His response to the lawsuit stated that 'any injuries or damages to plaintiffs and/or their decedent were directly caused in full or in part by the negligence or fault of plaintiffs and/or their decedent, including their knowing and voluntary encounter with the risks involved, and that this negligence was a substantial factor in causing their purported damages, for which this answering defendant bears no responsibility'.

Also read | Vanessa Bryant's relationship with Kobe Bryan, Vanessa Bryant net worth and Vanessa Bryant inheritance

Vanessa Bryant net worth

According to Celebrity Net Worth, Vanesa Bryant's net worth is $600 million. The number was calculated after Bryant's death. As per reports, Vanessa Bryant is the sole successor of Bryant's billion-dollar empire. Recent reports state that she has also inherited Bryant's BodyArmor shares which are now reportedly worth $200 million. 

(Disclaimer: The above information is sourced from various websites/ media reports. The website does not guarantee a 100% accuracy of the figures)

Updated 18:34 IST, June 9th 2020