Joan Rivers and Medical Malpractice

Joan Rivers and Medical Malpractice

Joan Rivers died on September 4, 2014 after suffering cardiac and respiratory arrest during a routine procedure at Yorkville Endoscopy. Within days of her death, rumors surfaced that her daughter, Melissa Rivers, is considering a medical malpractice lawsuit.

The details surrounding Rivers’ death are sparse and raise many questions. Sources close to Mt. Sinai Hospital, where Rivers was transferred after she stopped breathing, claimed providers were not sure how long the comedian’s brain had been without oxygen before she was put into a medically induced coma. Others have speculated that the sedative used during the routine endoscopy was ultimately too strong for the star and led to her death. It also seems that the outpatient endoscopy clinic may not have been properly prepared for a medical emergency as it should have been. Finally, it has been reported that an impromptu vocal cord biopsy was performed during the endoscopy, which has raised questions of consent. Did Joan Rivers consent to the biopsy being performed? Did she consent to the “selfie” that one medical provider allegedly snapped with Rivers while she lay unconscious and anesthetized before the procedure?

These are all the same types of questions that we are asked to find the answers to by the family members of those injured or killed due to the medical negligence of health care providers.

Robert Greening is the principal attorney at Greening Law, P.C. He has dedicated his 24 years of practice to the litigation of wrongful death and serious injury cases. If you have any questions regarding your loved ones’ medical treatment, contact Greening Law, P.C. at 972-934-8900.