Joan Rivers’ daughter has settled the malpractice lawsuit she filed against the clinic that operated on her mother.
Melissa Rivers sued Yorkville Endoscopy in New York last year for negligence after doctors allegedly performed unauthorised medical procedures, posed for a photo with the comedian and failed to act as she deteriorated during her throat surgery, which ultimately led to her death, in 2014.
But, after 16 months of a bitter legal battle, the suit has now been settled for "millions", according to TMZ.com.
Melissa, 48, said in a statement released via her lawyers Ben Rubinowitz and Jeff Bloom on Thursday (12.05.16): "In choosing to accept this settlement, I am able to put the legal aspects of my mother’s death behind me and ensure that those culpable for her death have accepted responsibility for their actions quickly and without equivocation."
However, both parties have decided to remain tight-lipped on the details of the settlement to ensure higher safety standards at outpatient surgical clinics.
The lawyers added: "We have agreed to keep the terms of the settlement confidential to make certain that the focus of this horrific incident remains on improved patient care and the legacy of Joan Rivers."
Joan tragically passed away aged 81 on September 4, 2014, just days after she went in for a routine endoscopy.
The former ‘Fashion Police’ host went into a cardiac arrest as physicians at the clinic in Manhattan inserted instruments to examine her throat and vocal cords.
She died a week later in a New York hospital as a result of brain damage due to the lack of oxygen when she stopped breathing during her routine endoscopy a few days prior.
The city’s medical examiner later classified her death as a therapeutic complication and the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services found following an investigation into the circumstances that the clinic made several errors, including failing to keep proper medication records, not receiving informed consent for every procedure performed and failing to record the eccentric presenter’s weight before administering sedation medication.
Joan Rivers’ daughter settle malpractice lawsuit against endoscopy clinic
