Kobe Bryant’s wife files wrongful death suit against helicopter company

On Monday, Kobe Bryant’s wife filed a lawsuit against the company that owned the helicopter that crashed and killed her husband, daughter and the seven others on board.

Vanessa Bryant filed the lawsuit not long before a memorial service was held for Kobe and their daughter in Los Angeles at the Staples Center.

The lawsuit alleges that the company (Island Express) flew the helicopter when conditions were not safe to do so.

In the 72-page lawsuit it says that the pilot, Ara George Zobayan had the “duty to use that degree of care that an ordinarily careful and prudent pilot would use under the same or similar circumstances.”

The suit says that Zobayan did not properly assess the weather before taking off on January 26. The Los Angeles Police Department’s helicopters were grounded on the same day until the afternoon because the fog was so bad according to LAPD spokesperson, Joshua Rubenstein. He added that there has to be an 800-foot ceiling of clouds and a visibility of 2 miles for their helicopters to take flight.

Vanessa’s suit alleges that the helicopter pilot did not terminate the flight despite knowing about the cloudy conditions. It added that Zobayan flew the helicopter in bad conditions forcing him to use IFR (instrument flight rules). He wasn’t able to keep the helicopter at a safe distance from obstacles after that.

The compensatory and punitive damages that Vanessa is seeking are unspecified at this time.