The wrongful death lawsuit regarding the fatal helicopter crash that claimed the life of Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others is nearing settlement.
Vanessa Bryant — along with the families of the other passengers on board the flight — reached a confidential settlement agreement with Island Express, the company that owned and operated the helicopter that crashed, ET confirms.
The retired Los Angeles Lakers legend and his 13-year-old daughter were on board the helicopter along with Gianna’s 14-year-old teammate Alyssa Altobelli, her parents John and Keri, 13-year-old teammate Payton Chester, her mother Sarah, as well as the assistant coach of the team, Christina Mauser.
Pilot Ara Zobayan — whose estate was named as a defendant in the lawsuit — was also killed in the crash, which occurred in the hills of Calabasas, California, on Jan. 26, 2020.
According to court documents obtained by ET on Tuesday, “Plaintiffs and Defendants jointly report that they have agreed to settle their claims in the above-entitled action.”
The terms of the settlement have not yet been formally approved by the court. As part of the agreement, the specific terms of the settlement are confidential.
Vanessa filed the wrongful death lawsuit in March 2020. According to a case summary filed by Bryant’s attorney’s last June, the family was seeking substantial compensation from Island Express Helicopters.
“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,” the summary stated.
The documents stated that “although the total specific amount of personal injury damages the plaintiff seeks is [to be determined], Kobe Bryant’s future lost earnings equal hundreds of millions of dollars.”
