Melissa Rivers Sues Clinic Where Her Mother Joan Died Following Surgery

Melissa Rivers is suing the clinic where her mother Joan died following surgery this past September.

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Complex Original

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Following her mother Joan Rivers’ death in September due to complications from a throat procedure, Melissa Rivers has filed a lawsuit against the clinic where the procedure took place—New York’s Yorkville Endoscopy—along with Frontier Healthcare (the company that partially owns Yorkville), Joan Rivers’s personal physician, and three anesthesiologists. In the filing, Melissa Rivers says that “The level of medical mismanagement, incompetency, disrespect, and outrageous behavior is shocking and frankly, almost incomprehensible.”

Among the allegations are claims that Yorkville’s medical director took a selfie in the middle of the procedure, and that Joan Rivers’ personal physician (who was not authorized to be in the room) performed an unauthorized biopsy on her windpipe which directly led to her death. “Had the doctors acted as physicians for Joan Rivers instead of groupies,” family lawyer Jeffrey Bloom said, “Joan Rivers would have been doing Fashion Police last week.”

The family hasn’t specified how much they’re suing for. However, due to Joan Rivers’ continued income from TV and standup work, they could be getting millions from the clinic if they win.

[via Vulture]

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