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Melissa Rivers Files Lawsuit for Her Mother's Death
US News/AP ^ | 01/2782015 | COLLEEN LONG

Posted on 01/27/2015 11:36:57 AM PST by Responsibility2nd

NEW YORK (AP) — While Joan Rivers lay sedated in a Manhattan clinic, her doctors performed unauthorized medical procedures, snapped a selfie with the comedian and failed to act as her vital signs deteriorated, according to a malpractice lawsuit filed Monday by her daughter, Melissa.

The 81-year-old comedian and star of "Fashion Police" on E! died Sept. 4, days after she went in for a routine endoscopy at Yorkville Endoscopy on Manhattan's Upper East Side and stopped breathing.

The lawsuit filed in Manhattan State Supreme Court paints a picture of a careless, cocky staff of doctors who ran roughshod over Rivers while she was unconscious, and it suggests that she died because of their incompetence. The suit seeks unspecified damages.

Melissa Rivers said in a statement that filing the lawsuit was one of the most difficult decisions she had to make.

"What ultimately guided me was my unwavering belief that no family should ever have to go through what my mother, Cooper and I have been through," she said, referring to her son. "The level of medical mismanagement, incompetency, disrespect and outrageous behavior is shocking and frankly, almost incomprehensible."

She said her mother deserved better.

(Excerpt) Read more at usnews.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: joanrivers
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Comment #21 Removed by Moderator

To: Jim Noble

They are used to bossing around everyone in their universe, and they seek out (and find) doctors who are pathetic enough to do what they are told to do instead of what they should do.

...

That’s what happened to Michael Jackson.


22 posted on 01/27/2015 1:22:03 PM PST by Moonman62 (The US has become a government with a country, rather than a country with a government.)
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Comment #23 Removed by Moderator

To: Sarah Barracuda

Why would you have a anesthesiologist for a colonoscopy? The sedation they use is very mild and they certainly don’t put you to sleep for it, at least under most circumstances.

I had one about three years ago and refused any sedation and I came though it just fine. I was glued to watching the monitor and talking with the doctor as he did it.


24 posted on 01/27/2015 1:29:02 PM PST by Captain Peter Blood
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To: Sarah Barracuda

Taking a “selfie” of an unconscious patient is taking away that patient’s dignity. For that alone, the doctor should be sued.


25 posted on 01/27/2015 1:37:34 PM PST by Nea Wood
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To: Captain Peter Blood

Many doctors love profofol because once they turn off the sedative, you wake up..faster recovery and you can leave the clinic faster..a regular sedation, even if mild, they have to monitor you and that can take an hour..trust me Ive been sedated numerous times for conoscopies, endoscopies and they always knock me out sometimes it takes an hour just to wake me up..it all depends on how much the doctor gives you. For Profofol, you need an anesthesiologist, doesn’t matter if its a hospital setting or a clinic, its automatic they won’t do the procedure without having that person there. My mother refuses sedation for any procedure, she never knows how her heart will respond to it since she has an irregular heartbeat. I never thought you could die during sedation, I would always tell the doc “Knock me out” now I think differently after what happened to Joan


26 posted on 01/27/2015 1:41:32 PM PST by Sarah Barracuda
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To: Responsibility2nd

Coming for goo reasons and not so much money. Rivers left a huge estate behind already. I think the daughter is looking for justice.


27 posted on 01/27/2015 1:49:35 PM PST by A CA Guy ( God Bless America, God Bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: Sarah Barracuda

Agreed.
And they won’t do the procedure until a consent is signed which says you understand and give permission for the procedure and separate (but many times on the same piece of paper) consent for anesthesia. Lots of procedures can be done under local anesthetic or no anesthetic, but it makes it a lot easier with a better quality outcome if the patient is able to cooperate. People with high pain thresholds don’t necessarily need much or any sedation, but if you start moving, get nauseated etc., that’s when you want an anesthesiologist with you to assess how well you are able to handle the procedure. That said, Joan was a victim of VIP syndrome. This is especially prevalent in private clinics where the owner/doctor may think he/she is GOD.
I work in a private EYE SURGERY outpatient. I was recruited by one of the owner/doctors after I worked with him for several years at a hospital where he did the occasional surgery. He knew what he was getting, when I come to work the boss says “good, you can give him a hard time.”
He knows I don’t do VIP.


28 posted on 01/27/2015 2:15:38 PM PST by az wildkitten (7 years 'til I retire)
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To: az wildkitten

My stomach doctor knows me so he knows that even if I say “Knock me out” that I don’t mean it literally..he will just give me enough sedative to calm me down so I don’t give a damn. A few years ago I saw a different doctor, I told her the same thing, she was new so she didn’t know me, she knocked me out completely. My Mom said they couldn’t wake me up for an hour she was in a panic, but as soon as the nurse raised the bed I popped up like a flower LOL. My Mom has a high pain threshold, she will just sit there and take it, she won’t get sedated for anything, even eye surgery(Which she might need later on she has a retina issue) but me, Im the opposite, I always loved being sedated, don’t feel anything and you wake up not knowing what happened..but I see after what happened to Joan that sedation is not something to mess around with


29 posted on 01/27/2015 2:38:07 PM PST by Sarah Barracuda
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To: grania

Why not? She might have lived another 20 years.


30 posted on 01/27/2015 2:41:01 PM PST by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: Responsibility2nd

I’m glad that she filed the suit.


31 posted on 01/27/2015 2:41:19 PM PST by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: Captain Peter Blood

I had a colonoscopy 3 years ago.
I had to have an anesthesiologist because
of sleep apnea.


32 posted on 01/27/2015 2:44:22 PM PST by markoman (The man with the rubber glove was....surprisingly gentle.)
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To: markoman

You could have had that for free, if you had took an airplane.


33 posted on 01/27/2015 2:45:17 PM PST by Kackikat
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To: selfdefense

Rivers may have had a living will, that makes the decision for the family members.


34 posted on 01/27/2015 2:47:33 PM PST by Kackikat
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To: Sarah Barracuda

I was administered Propofol when I underwent an endoscopy. That stuff is STRONG and it knocked my ass out in one or two seconds.

I slept for two days straight. I had some breakfast and went right off to la-la land.


35 posted on 01/27/2015 2:47:36 PM PST by POWERSBOOTHEFAN (TOUCH MY SODA AND THERE'LL BE HELL TO PAY!!)
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To: POWERSBOOTHEFAN

My brother requested a very small amount of Profofol, had the colonoscopy done, left right after it was done, and was out and about in an hour. Of course he couldn’t drive for a few hours but when I saw him it was like nothing was done. The say this drug gives you the “Best sleep you’ve ever had”


36 posted on 01/27/2015 3:00:45 PM PST by Sarah Barracuda
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To: Captain Peter Blood
Why would you have a anesthesiologist for a colonoscopy?

I had one about three years ago and refused any sedation and I came though it just fine.

Well good for you, sounds like you actually enjoyed it.....Hmmmmm!

Using your own logic, why would anyone wish to have a Novocain injection prior to a major tooth filling? After all, a friend of mine says he has no problem with the drillings sans novocain..........

37 posted on 01/27/2015 3:14:14 PM PST by Hot Tabasco (Man of "non-color" and proud of it)
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To: selfdefense

I wonder if someone else made entry into the building and tampered with her Propofol. You know, the same type of person who would represent a 3 letter agency that has the capability of listening to her phone conversations in the days following her remarks.


38 posted on 01/27/2015 3:16:25 PM PST by CivilWarBrewing
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To: Hot Tabasco

I had a root canal done without sedation, but no way is some doctor gonna stick a camera up my butt without sedation. And an anesthesiologist would be present for said procedure.


39 posted on 01/27/2015 3:18:16 PM PST by CivilWarBrewing
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To: Responsibility2nd

This is why you do not want even the simplest surgery outside of the hospital.


40 posted on 01/27/2015 3:23:08 PM PST by Vermont Lt (Ebola: Death is a lagging indicator.)
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