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The families of four of the victims who perished in the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant[1] and his daughter, Gianna[2], have filed wrongful death lawsuits themselves -- this after Vanessa Bryant[3] has already gone after the chopper company in court.
The surviving members of the Altobelli family and Mauser family -- the remaining two Altobelli children and Christina Mauser's husband, her son and 2 daughters, respectively -- claim the Island Express's negligence was reason for the death of their loved ones.
In both suits -- obtained by TMZ -- the surviving family members claim Island Express negligently and carelessly breached its duty to own, lease, manage, maintain, control, entrust, charter and operate the helicopter in question in a reasonable manner.
They claim as a direct result of this negligent behavior[4] by the company, their loved ones died in the crash -- which has caused an insurmountable amount of anguish on every level -- physical, emotional, mental and otherwise ... for which the families want damages, both over their own turmoil, but also for what their loved ones could have earned themselves if they had survived the crash and continued to work.
As Vanessa Bryant's wrongful death lawsuit[5] ... when we looked into it appeared Island Express might very well go bankrupt because her damages are so enormous[6]. Their insurance policy will only cover so much.
Island Express told us at the time of Vanessa's suit that the crash[7] was a tragic accident -- the implication being that they weren't at fault. As we reported, the LAPD had grounded its fleet of helicopters the morning of the crash due to