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The widow of a prominent tax attorney has refiled a $100 million lawsuit against a Florida billionaire regarding the 2012 helicopter crash that killed her husband.
Lance Valdez was killed in Great Guana Cay when the helicopter he was in—piloted by Jeffrey Soffer—crashed. Originally, a lawsuit was filed in federal court alleging that Soffer was piloting the helicopter when it crashed, but that suit was withdrawn on December 9.
On Friday, January 10, 2014, the suit was filed again in Miami-Dade Circuit Court. The widow of a man who died in a Bahamas helicopter crash refiled a lawsuit in state court against the man she says was piloting the aircraft.
According to reports, Soffer—who owns the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach and is married to supermodel Elle Macpherson—was aboard the helicopter on November 22, 2012, as it attempted to land.
The aircraft was buffeted by a wind gust at Baker’s Bay Golf & Ocean Club in the Bahamas, causing the pilot to lose control.
The flight was arranged by Valdez, a wealthy tax attorney, to transport a group of friends to an exclusive island resort. He also hired professional pilot David Pearce, who told officials he was piloting the helicopter at the time of the crash.
The lawsuit alleges that Pearce was not piloting the helicopter, but that it was actually Soffer—who holds a license to fly fixed-wing aircraft, but is not licensed for helicopters.
In addition, the suit states that Soffer conspired with other passengers to conceal that he was flying. The other passengers were Daniel Riordan, an executive at Turnberry (a company owned by Soffer’s family), and his wife, Paula.
Lawyers also claim that Soffer “induced” Valdez’s widow, Daria Gogoleva, to accept a payout of $2 million in order to avoid his personal liability in the crash. The complaint emphasizes that this payout was part of a broader cover-up.
This refiled case highlights the ongoing legal battle over who was actually piloting the aircraft.
Lawyers for Soffer argue that there is no merit to the lawsuit and insist he was not piloting the helicopter at the time of the crash.
Soffer himself emphatically denies flying the aircraft, and the professional pilot has never claimed that anyone other than himself was in control.
In addition, Soffer and the Riordans signed over their insurance claims to Gogoleva, awarding her $2 million in an insurance settlement. His attorneys maintain that he did not pressure her into accepting those payments.
Despite these defenses, the Widow Refiles Suit in Helicopter Crash remains active in state court.
When the negligence of another person is suspected as the cause—or contributing factor—in an accident that causes injury or death, a wrongful death claim may be appropriate.
The case serves as an example of how complex wrongful death cases can become, particularly when disputes arise over liability. For many, the Widow Refiles Suit in Helicopter Crash illustrates the importance of skilled legal representation in such matters.
Contact Dallas-Fort Worth lawyers at Frenkel & Frenkel to schedule a free initial consultation regarding an accident where injuries may have been caused or worsened by someone else’s negligence.