Bill Paxton's Family Accuses Doctor and Hospital of Refusing To Turn Over Evidence in Wrongful Death Battle
The family of late actor Bill Paxton are accusing his doctor and the hospital where he died of not turning over key evidence they have demanded in their wrongful death suit.
According to court documents obtained by The Blast, Paxton’s family has been trying to get the cell phone records of Dr. Ali Khoynezhad, who performed the surgery on the actor.
The family believes the doctor had left the operating room when Paxton started to suffer complications from a heart surgery. Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and the doctor turned over phone records but redacted some of the information. The family believes the records should be unredacted and are fighting to get the withheld information turned over.
Paxton’s family has also been demanding the doctors “surgical preference card” but Cedars say they aren’t in possession of the information. Further, they have had no luck in getting Khoynezhad’s administration file turned over, nor the camera footage from the day of the surgery.
A judge has yet to rule on the disputes.
Last year, Paxton's family filed a wrongful death lawsuit accusing Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, along with Dr. Ali Khoynezhad, of failing to disclose that the heart surgery Paxton underwent for an aortic aneurysm repair was "beyond the scope" of the doctor's experience and privileges.
They claim the doctor did not explain the risks of the unconventional surgery he recommended.
Paxton had a stroke after the surgery, and died one week later on February 25, 2017.
The suit went on to say that Paxton suffered complications during and after the surgery, but that there was a delay in treating Paxton because Dr. Khoynezhad had already left the operating room.
They sued seeking unspecified damages.
The hospital and doctor denied wrongdoing and claim Paxton was aware of the possible dangers related to his surgery. Cedars and Dr. Khoynez had said Paxton was "aware of certain dangers and risks involved" in the surgery. They also claim Paxton had "an existing condition" that rendered him susceptible to complications.
They demanded the lawsuit be dismissed. The case is ongoing.
