John Ritter wrongful death ends

[DVDFreaker]

http://news.aol.com/entertainment/te...00010000000001

GLENDALE, Calif. (March 14) - A jury cleared a cardiologist and a radiologist Friday of negligence in the diagnosis and treatment of actor John Ritter, who died of a torn aorta in 2003.

Jurors said the majority believed the cardiologist summoned to the hospital after Ritter was diagnosed with a heart attack had no time to order a chest X-ray that might have found the tear.

They also said the radiologist, who gave Ritter a body scan two years earlier, did advise Ritter of coronary problems and to consult other doctors, but his failure to do so did not cause his death.

The 9-3 verdict means there is no damage judgment against the doctors, neither of whom were present when the jury reached a decision in the wrongful death lawsuit brought by Ritter's widow and children.

Verdicts do not have to be unanimous in civil cases.

"I disagree with the jury's decision but I believe in the system and I respect it," said the widow, Amy Yasbeck. "It inspires me even more to find, with these brilliant medical minds, a path to diagnose aortic diseases."

Yasbeck said she has started a foundation in her husband's name to work on the condition.

Lawyers for Ritter's family claimed Ritter's death resulted in a loss of as much as $67 million in future earnings. Eight other medical personnel and Providence St. Joseph Medical Center previously made settlements with the family totaling $14 million.

Neither doctor was present for the verdict, which was reached on the second day of deliberations and was read quickly. Attorneys said Dr. Matthew Lotysch, the radiologist, and Dr. Joseph Lee, the cardiologist, were at work.

Attorney Stephen C. Fraser, who represented Lotysch, credited jurors with being sophisticated and intelligent.

"The system worked and we're very, very happy that they did the right thing," Fraser said.

Defense testimony characterized the aortic dissection as lethal and contended that even with surgery the outcome would have been the same.

When he died on Sept. 11, 2003, Ritter was starring in the TV show "8 Simple Rules ... for Dating My Teenage Daughter." He was 54.

During the trial, attorneys for the families sought to show that Lee rushed to a faulty diagnosis and failed to have a chest X-ray taken that would have revealed the torn aorta, resulting in surgery that would have saved him.

Testimony showed that an X-ray was ordered as soon as Ritter arrived at the emergency room but for unknown reasons it was never done. Lee was called in later in the evening after Ritter was already diagnosed with a heart attack.

Defense testimony characterized the aortic dissection as lethal and contended that even with surgery the outcome would have been the same.

Lotysch testified he told Ritter he had calcification in three coronary arteries and should consult other doctors. But in a related finding, the jury decided that Ritter's failure to pursue that medical consultation was not a cause of his death.

[sunshinefizzy]

Sweet. I'm happy they're never gonna get a single dime out of this one!!!

[janet42]

I am glad that John's widow lost this lawsuit. If she felt that she should have gotten money that John could have made in these past 4 1/2 years since his death, then why didn't she sue for it in the first lawsuit instead of suing again? I hope that this will be the end of her lawsuits because I think that doing lawsuits like this is dishonoring his memory.

[robyrob]

I think that she made it pretty clear that this was NOT about the money, it was all about making sure that this sort of thing doesn't happen to anyone else - any money awarded was supposed to be added to the foundation she created in John's name dedicated to fighting the condition that took his life.

[Scoobiedoo30]

I wonder if they are going to do another lawsuit

[Diggsy]

Sometimes it takes a devastating loss like this to educate the public about little known & examined medical conditions such as aortic dissection.I think it would be much more productive if say,a future hospital wing focusing on heart treatment & study was named for John.This very thing was done for Karen Carpenter in the anorexia nervosa area,and now everyone knows far more about it than they did when she died.

[DVDFreaker]

Originally Posted by Scoobiedoo30

I wonder if they are going to do another lawsuit

They ain't gonna do another one so don't worry about it so stop worrying

[Pitooey]

I love John and I miss him and if ever I or anyone else goes to the hospital for any heart related stuff. I will keep my eyes and ears open for the aortic stuff because of what happened to John.

[Ireneparalegal]

What is really really sad in this situation, is that John was told to seek help for his problem and he didn't. Had he done what the radiologist had told him, he may be alive now. This radiologist did a scan on John and seen a potential for something bad happening and advised John to look into it further and he failed. Amy should have pushed John to seek help. Sounds like Amy should pointing the finger at herself for not pushing John to go to the doctor. The same way she pointed fingers at all those doctors. You know what they say, if you point a finger at someone, three more fingers are pointing right back at you.

[Lyverbe]

I'm also glad Amy lost this case. Everyone makes mistakes, and that includes doctors. Having them pay millions for being humans wasn't fair.

[Miss Lisa]

The sad thing is, sure she can sue them over and over again, but it'll never do John any good. Also, it's kinda funyy how all the sudden four years after his death she decides to sue. It makes it sound like she just ran into money problems and needed to get money so she figured that she could win the case.

[Ireneparalegal]

It makes sense to sue if the doctors did in fact make a mistake. We are talking abt a person's life here, not a car, not clothing, not a bad haircut, a HUMAN LIFE. But it was said the doctor DID TELL John abt his problem and due to John's lack of follow-up care, he ended up dying. Now, how is that the doctor's fault? If a doctor tells you to do something or stop doing something and you don't listen, that is YOUR OWN FAULT.

[janet42]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

But it was said the doctor DID TELL John abt his problem and due to John's lack of follow-up care, he ended up dying. Now, how is that the doctor's fault? If a doctor tells you to do something or stop doing something and you don't listen, that is YOUR OWN FAULT.

You're right because if John Ritter had followed his doctor's advice, he might be alive today.

[Big3sCompanyFan]

Originally Posted by janet42

You're right because if John Ritter had followed his doctor's advice, he might be alive today.

EXACTLY. They already got 14 MILLION dollars!! That's INSANE. They should've got nothing or maybe a few hundred thousand. The doctors didn't do anything wrong. Doctors aren't perfect and this happens in hospitals all the time. Amy Yasbeck and the Ritter estate was already worth MILLIONS even if they didn't get a penny.

You know the more the doctors lose in lawsuits the more their insurance goes up which means higher prices at the doctor for US!!

It is JOHN'S fault for not following up with a doctor when he was told to. Aortic Dissection IS treatable. I just saw on a show how someone was detected with it and got surgery to fix it because THEY DIDN'T WAIT UNTIL IT ALREADY BLEW OPEN!! Then it's usually too late!

Like a lot of men John Ritter refused to see a doctor but if he did he would probably be alive today!