Summary: Prince’s estate is suing a local hospital and Walgreens pharmacy for allegedly contributing to the late singer’s overdose.
The musician Prince died two years ago from an opioid overdose, and this week, his family sued Walgreens and a Midwestern hospital system for allegedly contributing to his wrongful death.
According to ABC News, Prince’s estate manager, Michael Zimmer, filed a lawsuit on his family’s behalf alleging that the following people contributed to the 1999 singer’s demise: “Trinity Medical Center of Rock Island, Illinois; Trinity Regional Health System of Rock Island, Illinois; Iowa Health System of West Des Moines, Iowa; Dr. Nicole Mancha of Davenport, Iowa; an unknown employee at Trinity Medical Center listed as “Jane Doe No. 1,” two Walgreens pharmacies in Minnesota, unknown employees at Walgreens pharmacies listed as “Jane Does Nos. 2-6,’ and the Walgreen Company.”
Prince died at the age of 57 from a fatal overdose of fentanyl. Last week, Carver County District Attorney Mark Metz said that Prince thought he was taking Vicodin for his pain but was actually taking a counterfeit pill laced with fentanyl, a powerful opioid more potent than heroin.
“We will have much to say when the time is right. We have client interests to protect at the moment, including our theory of the case,” Zimmer said in a statement. “What happened to Prince is happening to families across America. Prince’s family wishes, through its investigation, to shed additional light on what happened to Prince. At the same time, further light on the opiate epidemic will hopefully help the fight to save lives. If Prince’s death helps save lives, then all was not lost.”
Prince died at his home in Paisley Park, Minnesota, and local officials investigated the cause of his death. While they discovered he had died from fentanyl, they were unable to determine who gave it to him. Thus, no criminal charges were filed.
Despite the police investigation, Zimmer has accused Walgreens pharmacies and local hospitals for wrongful death because they filled drug prescriptions that ultimately led to Prince’s death.
Zimmer is seeking $50,000 from the defendants. The defendants have yet to release statements regarding the lawsuit.
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