The late 'Apollo 13' star's wife, children and estate allege that the surgeon performed an 'unconventional' heart surgery without apprising Paxton of all the risks.
- Feb 14, 2018
AceShowbiz - Almost a year after Bill Paxton's death, his family is suing his surgeon and the hospital that treated him. The "Apollo 13" star died on February 25, 2017 after suffering a stroke as complications from heart surgery to repair an aortic aneurysm and replace his bicuspid aortic valve which he underwent two weeks prior.
In a complaint filed Friday, February 9 in Los Angeles County Superior Court, Bill's widow Louise Paxton, son James, daughter Lydia and his estate allege cardiovascular surgeon Ali Khoynezhad and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center of wrongful death, negligence and battery. They claim that the doctor performed an "unconventional" heart surgery without apprising Paxton of all the risks. They also claim that the procedure was "beyond the scope" of the doctor's experience and privileges.
Paxton suffered serious complications during and after the surgery, and, according to the complaint, Khoynezhad had already left the operating room, which created a delay in treating the damage. Paxton's family claims the hospital was reckless in allowing Khoynezhad to perform an unnecessary and "maverick" surgical procedure and that it failed to discipline him afterward.
Lawyer Steve Heimberg notes that Khoynezhad left Cedars-Sinai soon after the actor's death.
Responding to the lawsuit, Cedars-Sinai released a statement to The Hollywood Reporter on Tuesday. "State and federal privacy laws prevent us from commenting about patient care without written authorization," it read. "But we can share the following: Nothing is more important to Cedars-Sinai than the health and safety of our patients. These remain our top priorities. One of the reasons for our high quality is that we thoroughly review concerns about any patient's medical care. This process ensures that we can continue to provide the highest quality care."
Paxton was famously known for his roles in "Aliens", "Titanic" and "Twister" among others. He died at the age of 61.
