John Ritter's Estate Loses Medcial Malpractice Case

Dan Frith

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I previously blogged (February 4 and 19) on comic actor John Ritter's wrongful death malpractice lawsuit going to trial. The suit, filed by Ritter's widow, sought $67 million in damages from two of her deceased husband's treating doctors. In summary, Ritter experienced severe nausea and vomiting and went to went to St. Joseph's Medical Center in Burbank, California. Ritter's cardiologist, and a defendant in the lawsuit, Dr. Joseph Lee thought results of a test showed abnormalities consistent with a heart attack. The doctor ordered anticoagulants and planned a cardiac catheterization. But as the actor's condition worsened, an aortic dissection -- a tear in the largest blood vessel in the body was found. Ritter was dead less than 5 hours after arriving at the hospital's emergency room.

The jury returned its verdict last week.

The split, 9-3 verdict in the civil trial in Glendale, California, came after a day or so of deliberations, and weeks of testimony frequently marked by tears from Ritter's famous coworkers, friends and his widow, actress Amy Yasbeck. Eight other medical personnel and the hospital previously made settlements with the family totaling $14 million.