Kobe Bryant’s Family Awarded $29 Million in Invasion of Privacy Lawsuit

Los Angeles County will pay close to $29 million for the wife of late Kobe Bryant in settlement of a suit regarding inappropriately sharing graphic photographs from the accident that claimed Bryant and his daughter’s lives.

The lawsuit alleges that firefighters and Los Angeles Sheriff’s Office members shared close-up photos of a crash scene in informal settings, such as a bar.

Vanessa Bryant (Kobe Bryant’s wife) filed suit to stop this. She described it to be a violation of privacy, and an emotional distress.

Luis Li, an attorney representing Vanessa Bryant, said that today is the culmination her brave struggle to hold those responsible. “She stood up for her husband, her child, and all the others in the community who were treated with similar disrespect.”

Li confirmed that the settlement reached $28.85 million. This includes $15 million Vanessa Bryant received in August by a federal jury.

Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant were killed along with seven others in Calabasas, California’s Calabasas Crash on January 26, 2020.

Bryant was 41 when he passed away. Bryant was an 18-time All-Star, and a Los Angeles Lakers Lakers star. He won five NBA titles. He was also elected into the Hall of Fame in 2020.

Mira Hashmall, an attorney representing the county, was involved in this case. She stated that the decision was fair and reasonable to her.

She claimed that the agreement resolved all outstanding legal issues in state Court, future claims by the Bryant children, as well as other costs. Each party bears the cost of its attorney fees.

Vanessa Bryant stated this in the August court hearing She said that she felt the need to share photos after learning about inappropriate sharing. “run, run down the block and shout.”

She stated, “I ran out of my house and turned around so that my daughters wouldn’t see,” “I was again blindsided, devastated, and hurt. They were trustworthy. She added, “They didn’t do this to me.”

Although no photos were made public, Vanessa Bryant stated that she is constantly concerned about the possibility of others.

She testified that she is afraid of her daughters being on social media. “My daughters are likely to be on social media and I see these pop up.” she said.

The thought of panic attacks, in which she can’t breath, keeps her awake at night, she said.

This report was contributed by Reuters and The Associated Press.