Vanessa Bryant awarded $28.5 million in final settlement in lawsuit over helicopter crash photos

Vanessa Bryant has been awarded $28.85 million as final settlement in her lawsuit with against Los Angeles County over leaked photos from the helicopter crash that killed her husband Kobe and their daughter Gianna.

People magazine reported that the settlement already includes the $15 million that Vanessa was awarded back in August. It was initially $16 million but the amount reduced after a clerical error was discovered.

Vanessa and Chris Chester, who also tragically lost his wife Sarah and their 13-year-old daughter Payton in the crash, sued the Los Angeles County for emotional distress and mental anguish.

They claimed that photographs of the victims' bodies were publicly shared on at least 28 devices owned by the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department and by more than a dozen first responders, which invaded their privacy and caused distress.

"She fought for her husband, her daughter, and all those in the community whose deceased family were treated with similar disrespect. We hope her victory at trial and this settlement will put an end to this practice," said Bryant's lawyer Luis Li.

The agreement also covers any future claims from Vanessa, 40, and Kobe's daughters Natalia, 20, Bianka, 6, and Capri, 3.

The settlement is still "conditional upon court approval" for the children who are still minors.

Chris previously agreed to a $19.95 million settlement.

Kobe, 41, and Gianna, 13, were traveling to a youth basketball game with seven others when they died in the helicopter crash in January 2020.

—Kimberly Tsao/MGP, GMA Integrated News