What Unfolded in Joan Rivers’ Final Procedure and the Lawsuit After

Here’s the lowdown—Joan Rivers walked into a Manhattan endoscopy center for what was supposed to be a quick procedure on August 28, 2014, and ended up in a tragic spiral that no one saw coming. This wasn’t your average clinic visit, though it started like one. Rivers, 81 and still touring her late-night comedy act, sat down for a routine throat scope under sedation administered by Dr. Lawrence Cohen’s colleague (anesthesia provider Dr. Lawrence Hinna, per court papers). But about 20 minutes in, Rivers stopped breathing. Instead of an immediate response, staff members allegedly left her unmonitored in an exam room, according to legal documents filed by her daughter, Melissa Rivers, in July 2015.

Court records from the lawsuit—filed in Manhattan Supreme Court—paint a disturbing scene: Rivers’ oxygen levels plunged, clinicians reportedly failed to properly ventilate her, and the necessary resuscitation equipment wasn’t on hand. TMZ and The New York Post both obtained portions of the complaint, which claims the clinic’s negligence caused hypoxic encephalopathy, a brain injury from lack of oxygen, leaving Rivers in a coma. She would remain in that state until moving to Mount Sinai Hospital, where she passed away on September 4, 2014, surrounded by family.

Melissa Rivers fired off the negligence suit against Yorkville Endoscopy, Dr. Hinna, and other staff members, accusing them of “shocking indifference” and breach of duty. The complaint cites failure to monitor vital signs, administer proper airway management, and follow basic sedation protocols. Courthouse News Service noted that depositions revealed industry-standard safeguards were ignored, and source interviews published by Page Six hinted at internal memos showing alarm bells went unheeded that afternoon.

By June 2016, whispers of a settlement began circulating. People magazine confirmed the case closed with an undisclosed payment described as “substantial,” though neither side would reveal exact figures. Industry insiders speculate Melissa Rivers secured anywhere from $5 million to $10 million, with the anesthesiologist’s insurer chipping in. The official settlement documents remain sealed, but a joint statement read, “We regret the events of August 28, 2014,” a rare apology in medical malpractice disputes.

Despite the payout, Melissa Rivers has kept her mother’s legacy alive through her Joan Rivers Fashion Collection and the Runways Red For Women charity. Fans still stream Rivers’ sharp one-liners on social media, while legal scholars dissect the case as a cautionary tale on patient safety in small clinics.

So yeah, that’s the deal—routine procedure, catastrophic oversight, millions on the table, and a celebrity’s last laugh turned somber lawsuit. Do with it what you will.

Sources: Celebrity Storm and People Magazine, The New York Post, TMZ, Courthouse News Service
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