Passengers Responsible For Kobe Bryant Helicopter Crash – Pilot’s Brother
In response to Vanessa Bryant’s wrongful death lawsuit, the brother of pilot Ara Zobayan who is also his representative, argues that Kobe Bryant and other passengers were responsible for their fatal Jan. 26 helicopter crash. Berge Zobayan claims the NBA star knew the risks of flying and his surviving family members are not entitled to damages from the pilot’s estate.
“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,” the documents filed by Berge claimed.
If you recall, Vanessa filed a 72-page lawsuit against Ara’s estate and Island Express Helicopters earlier this year. She claimed Ara “had a duty to use that degree of care that an ordinarily careful and prudent pilot would use under the same or similar circumstances.”
According to ET, the lawsuit also cited several areas where Ara may have been negligent, and alleged that Island Express Helicopters had “advance knowledge of the unfitness” of Ara due to a previous violation in 2015. Meanwhile, Vanessa is asking for punitive damages.
Island Express Helicopters has denied the allegations that any injuries or damages were a result of any action by them.
According to court documents obtained, Island Express claims that the passengers “had actual knowledge of all of the circumstances, particular dangers, and an appreciation of the risks involved and the magnitude thereof, and proceeded to encounter a known risk, and voluntarily assume the risk of the accident, injury, and damages.”
It’s understood that the company also claim that it was “an unavoidable accident and not proximately caused by any alleged act or omission on the part.”
Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna Bryant, John Altobelli, Keri Altobelli, Alyssa Altobelli, Sarah Chester, Payton Chester, and Christina Mauser were all passengers in the Jan. 26 crash.
