Bill Paxton’s Wrongful Death Lawsuit Has Settled
The lawsuit involving the death much-missed veteran actor Bill Paxton has finally been settled by all parties.
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Eleven days after Bill Paxon had surgery to replace an aortic heart valve and repair an aortic aneurysm, he was dead in his hospital room. He was pronounced dead of complications from heart surgery on February 25, 2017, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. The world mourned the loss of an actor that brought some of our favorite characters to life over a career that began back in 1975. But while fans grieved over the loss of an actor, his family suffered the loss of a husband and father. They also seemed to believe there was something more the doctors could have done to save Paxton, as they brought a lawsuit against them for wrongful death. The courts have now reached a conclusion to the lawsuit.
A year after Bill Paxton’s death, the family brought a lawsuit against surgeon Ali Khoynezhad and the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where he operated, for wrongful death. The family’s attorney, Bruce Broillet, claimed they trusted Dr. Khoynezhad and the hospital, but their trust was betrayed when their actions resulted in the tragic and preventable death. Deadline reports that the parties have reached a settlement nearly four years after the family brought the lawsuit to court. This isn’t the first time they settled, as there was a partial settlement of $1 million between the family and the anesthesiologist. The details of the settlement are being kept under wraps for now as it still has to go to a judge for approval.
The procedure to replace an aortic valve is one of the most common forms of heart surgery. While it is generally safe, there are some risks involved. One of the most significant risks is stroke, which was Bill Paxton’s believed cause of death. According to the American Heart Association, an aortic aneurysm is “a weakened or bulging area on the wall of the aorta,” which carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, these ailments are the leading cause of death for nearly 10,000 people in the United States each year and contribute to an additional 16,000 deaths. Surgery is needed to repair the aorta when the problem is diagnosed. The resulting stroke Bill Paxton suffered is not uncommon, as strokes are the number four cause of death in the United States.
Bill Paxton’s death in early 2017 continued a trend of celebrities passing unexpectedly that increased the year before. In 2016, the world was shocked at the feeling of continuous loss with the deaths of Alan Rickman, David Bowie, Prince, Florence Henderson, Muhammad Ali, Anton Yelchin, George Michael, Arnold Palmer, Alan Thicke, Glenn Frey, Carrie Fisher, and Debbie Reynolds. Paxton began what felt like an equally difficult year with the deaths of Tom Petty, David Cassidy, Roger Moore, and Chuck Berry. With film franchises like Terminator, Alien, Marvel, and Predator under his filmography, Paxton’s death is one that is still felt today across the industry. While the settlement may make some headway in making the family feel some semblance of closure, his presence is one that is truly irreplaceable.
