Household of Chris Cornell settles with physician over his dying

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The household of Chris Cornell and a physician who they alleged over-prescribed him medication earlier than he died have agreed to a settle a lawsuit.

Court docket paperwork filed by attorneys for the rock singer’s widow, Vicky Cornell, and their kids, Toni and Christopher Nicholas Cornell, mentioned a confidential settlement had been reached. The paperwork had been filed in April, however they’d gone unnoticed earlier than Metropolis Information Service reported on them Thursday.

The Cornell household alleged within the lawsuit filed in 2018 in Los Angeles Superior Court docket that treatment, particularly the anti-anxiety drug lorazepam, prescribed by Dr. Robert Koblin led to erratic conduct from the Soundgarden entrance man earlier than his dying in Detroit in 2017 at age 52.

Coroner’s investigators in Michigan dominated Cornell’s dying a suicide by hanging. Exams confirmed the presence of lorazepam, higher recognized by its model identify Ativan, in Cornell’s system together with barbiturates and the anti-opioid drug naloxone, however didn’t cite them as a think about his dying.

The lawsuit mentioned Koblin and his Beverly Hills, California, workplace “negligently and repeatedly” prescribed “harmful mind-altering managed substances to Chris Cornell which impaired Mr. Cornell’s cognition, clouded his judgment, and triggered him to interact in harmful impulsive behaviors that he was unable to regulate, costing him his life.”

The lawsuit mentioned the physician did this realizing Cornell had a severe historical past of substance abuse.

In courtroom paperwork responding to the lawsuit, Koblin and his lawyer denied any wrongdoing or duty for Cornell’s dying.

Emails searching for remark despatched Thursday evening to attorneys for each side weren’t instantly returned.

“After years of litigation and settlement negotiations, Plaintiffs and Defendants … have reached a confidential settlement settlement to resolve all claims,” the Cornell household attorneys mentioned within the April 2 courtroom submitting.

The doc mentioned important to the compromise was the settlement to reduce publicity and maintain the phrases confidential.

The case has “acquired vital media protection and a focus from followers of Mr. Cornell and allies of Plaintiffs,” the courtroom submitting says. ”Sadly, as with many celeb circumstances, this motion has additionally attracted the eye of troubled people who’ve harassed Plaintiffs, together with by threatening the life and security of Plaintiffs Toni Cornell and Christopher Nicholas Cornell.”

A choose should nonetheless approve the components of the settlement that contain the youngsters, who’re each minors, and the paperwork say the lawsuit will proceed towards trial if that doesn’t occur.

Cornell’s wailing voice and his long-haired, shirtless stage presence made him a necessary determine within the grunge rock of the Nineties. Soundgarden was among the many first teams to surge to nationwide consideration in a wave that later included Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains.

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