Family of John Ritter Sues Over Actor's Death

[EdwardKnoxII 0]

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/n...ple_ritter_dc_3

 

Family of John Ritter Sues Over Actor's Death

 

Thu Sep 9, 6:23 PM ET

 

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The wife and daughter of actor John Ritter, who collapsed and died suddenly of heart problems a year ago, have sued the hospital where he was treated, claiming that doctors misdiagnosed his condition.

 

Ritter, 54, collapsed on the set of his series "8 Simple Rules for Dating My Daughter" on Sept. 12 last year and died the same day in a Burbank hospital across from the studio where he had been working. The cause of death was given as a tearing of a major coronary artery stemming from a condition he never knew he had.

 

Ritter's wife Amy Yasbeck and their four children filed a wrongful death and medical malpractice suit on Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court alleging that hospital doctors "caused the untimely death ... by misdiagnosing his condition and as a consequence, failing to provide proper treatment in connection with an ascending aortic aneurysm that would have saved his life."

 

The lawsuit says that Ritter was initially diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction and then with pericardial tamponade. He actually had a large ascending aortic aneurysm.

 

Yasbeck and her children are asking for unspecified general damages, wrongful death damages, medical expenses and funeral expenses.

 

The hospital, Providence St Joseph Medical Center, said in a statement that it was premature to comment on the suit.

 

"When Mr Ritter was originally admitted to our hospital, his family asked that no information on his illness be released by the hospital. We will continue to honor this request. We extend our deepest and most sincere sympathy to the Ritter family for their loss," the hospital added.

 

Ritter was best known for his portrayal of Jack Tripper in the 1970s sitcom "Three's Company." He was also a frequent guest star on television shows and a performer on Broadway.

[Jericholic82 0]

wow, I kinda figured this was going to happen, as his death seemed very mysterious.

 

Still can't belive he is dead though. It bothered me a lot, maybe cuz I had seen him in so many movies and tv shows and enjoyed his work.

[Guest Staravenger]

I don't think I've seen a TV or Movie appearence of his that wasn't entertaining. Damn, it's already been one year?