Joan Rivers. Photo courtesy of joanrivers.com
Summary: The family of Joan Rivers has settled its malpractice lawsuit against the clinic that allegedly caused her 2014 death.
It was no laughing matter for the family of Joan Rivers, but a settlement has finally been reached in the malpractice lawsuit filed against the doctors who allegedly caused her death.
On September 4, 2014, the legendary blonde comedian went to Yorkville Endoscopy in New York City for a routine endoscopy. The 81-year-old stopped breathing during her procedure, and in 2015, her daughter Melissa filed a malpractice suit against the clinic. She said that the doctors performed unauthorized procedures, took a selfie with a sedated Joan, and failed to respond properly when her vitals deteriorated.
According to CBS, “The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services found after an investigation that the clinic made several errors, including failing to keep proper medication records and snapping cellphone photos. The investigation also found that the clinic had failed to receive informed consent for every procedure performed and failed to record Rivers’ weight before administering sedation medication.”
Rivers was treated by Dr. Renuka Bankulla, Dr. Lawrence Cohen, and Dr. Gwen Korovin. The medical examiner found she died of brain damage from lack of oxygen.
- To learn more about the malpractice lawsuit read this article: “Lawsuit Reveals Details about Joan Rivers’ Death
Rivers’ family said in a statement that they were pleased with the settlement, but they did not state how much they received. They were represented by attorneys Ben Rubinowitz and Jeff Bloom.
Melissa added that she would continue to advocate for higher safety standards in out-patient clinics.
A spokesperson for the clinic said both sides agreed to avoid continued litigation.
“Our thoughts and prayers continue to go out to the Rivers family,” Yorkville Endoscopy said in a statement. “We remain committed to providing quality, compassionate healthcare services that meet the needs of our patients, their families and the community.”
Selfies? Doing procedures without written consent? Not monitoring vitals? Was Yorkville Endoscopy let off easy? Let us know in the comments below.
Source: CBS News