Three months ago, Kobe Bryant and eight others died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. On Sunday, April 19th, the surviving members of two families sued the company that operated the aircraft, Island Express Helicopters, for wrongful death. The lawsuits states that the plaintiffs suffered a variety of damages because of the "careless, negligent, and unlawful conduct" of the defendants. Your job is research the case and to analyze whether you believe that the plaintiffs will be successful in winning their case. You must present your analysis using the four steps that are employed in proving a negligence case:
1. Duty of care: Did a duty of care exist? Were the plaintiffs the defendant's neighbour (neighbour principle)?
2. Standard of care: Did the defendant breach their standard of care? What would a reasonable person have done in the same situation?
3. Causation: Were the plaintiffs' injuries caused (proximate causation) by the defendant's negligence?
4. Damages: Should the plaintiffs be compensated for the defendant's actions? If so, what type of damages should they be awarded?
