When a tragedy like this happens lawsuits normally follow.
The news has come out on the day of Kobe and Gigi’s memorial service that Vanessa Bryant has filed a lawsuit against the helicopter company over their deaths.
TMZ Sports has the details.
The lawsuit alleges Island Express was only allowed to fly under visual flight rules, and the conditions the day of the crash were not conducive for such flying. As we reported, the fog was extremely low and the pilot was in blinding conditions before the mishap.
The lawsuit claims the pilot failed to 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.
The suit says Island Express engaged in unnecessary and needlessly risky means of transportation under the circumstances.
The suit also asks 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 claims the helicopter was not safe, although it doesn’t say what was unsafe.
Vanessa is seeking punitive damages which could be in the millions.
Flip the pages for pilots explaining what went wrong.