Actor John Ritter's Doctors Cleared in Malpractice Suit

Jennifer Moore

Contributor

0 CommentsPrint ArticleSubscribe

The family of John Ritter brought suit against his cardiologist and radiologist for medical malpractice. Actor Ritter died in 2003 of a torn aorta. A jury cleared both the cardiologist and radiologist of any negligence. The family had previously settled with eight other medical providers. The family argued that the cardiologist should have ordered a chest x-ray which may have revealed a torn aorta.

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.