STARPICZ / Splash NewsA picture's worth a thousand words, but is it worth a legal battle?
We might just find out. On Tuesday, photographer Kassandra Perez (real name: Andra Viak) filed a lawsuit against Rob Kardashian for assault, battery, theft and inflicting emotional distress during their alleged altercation last Month outside a Beverly Hills, Calif., gym.
According to Perez's suit, Kardashian, 26, "intentionally, willfully, wantonly and maliciously ran" at her after she snapped shirtless photos of him in the "public parking lot of a local gym." She alleges that she was "struck in the face and suffered severe contusions on her arm and chest, as well as damage to her property" as a result of Kardashian's "violent use of force."
Perez's suit also claims that when Kardashian realized she was taking his photo, he "quickly put on a t-shirt, looked to each side and then suddenly and unexpectedly ran towards Plaintiff's vehicle." Then, according to Perez, Kardashian "reached into Plaintiff's vehicle window and violently attacked [her], a woman half his size, in order to take Plaintiff's camera out of her hands."
The suit alleges that "through the use of force" and having a "significant size advantage," Kardashian was successful in getting the camera into his hands. Perez claims she told the E! star she'd tell him how to delete his photos from the camera and would allow him to delete them himself. Instead, per Perez's lawsuit, Kardashian "removed the camera's memory card, threw the camera back at Plaintiff and left with Plaintiff's memory card stating, 'I'll pay you when I see you.'"
Perez claims her alleged injuries have prevented her "from engaging in her usual occupation, thereby sustaining a loss of income." Her lawsuit claims she employed "the services of a physician and the like, to care for and treat her" following the alleged run-in, and "did incur professional and incidental expenses."
The paparazzo's suit also claims her memory card "containing approximately 1,200 photographs of various celebrities and 300 photographs of freelance projects" was "valued at over $30,000." She alleges Kardashian took this from her and feels she's entitled to "compensatory damages" in a "sum to be proven at trial."
On Tuesday, the Beverly Hills Police Department confirmed to E! News that, because Kardashian allegedly took Perez's memory card by force, they are investigating for felony robbery. It has yet to be determined when the investigation will conclude and whether the D.A. will charge Kardashian with a crime.
A rep for Kardashian had no comment on the matter.
—Additional reporting by Marcus Mulick and Holly Passalaqua