Vanessa Bryant settles remaining Kobe crash photo claims for $28.9 million

The legal saga surrounding the photos taken of the Kobe Bryant helicopter crash site is over and the final payout for his widow, Vanessa Bryant, is $28.85 million. according to USA Today.

Vanessa has reportedly reached a settlement to end her remaining litigation and future claims against Los Angeles County over allegations that the sheriff’s department and fire department shared photos showing the aftermath of the fatal accident involving her husband and daughter Gianna .

She had previously won $15 million in federal court (initially $16 million before a jury discovered an error) In her first lawsuit against LA County, but that was not the end of the county’s exposure. The new settlement, which includes the money previously won, will also add Bryant’s children as plaintiffs to complete the deal.

The settlement is reportedly still subject to court approval.

Vanessa’s lawyer, Luis Li, said he hopes her victory will prevent similar cases in the future in an opinion:

After her first win, Bryant pledged to donate the money to the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation. It is unclear whether the settlement money will meet the same fate. She and the other families with loved ones from the crash also reached out a confidential settlement in 2021 with the helicopter company involved in the crash.

Chris Chester, whose wife and daughter died in the crash, won $15 million in a parallel lawsuit against LA County and settled its remaining claims of nearly $20 million last year.

Per USA Today, Bryant and Chester still had clout after their court victories because they could have asserted claims by the State of California against the county that weren’t part of the process in federal court. The total cost of the scandal to LA County is now over $50 million when you add two $1.25 million settlements for the other families involved in the crash.