The family of the late Hollywood actor Bill Paxton is taking his doctor and hospital to court.
Paxton's widow and children blame them for causing the star's death last year at the early age of 61, and have filed a wrongful death lawsuit.
The world was stunned by news of Paxton's death last February, when the actor was still appearing on the CBS series Training Day.
The star of hit films like Apollo 13, Titanic, Aliens, and HBO's series Big Love suffered a stroke just 11 days after undergoing open heart surgery.
Now, Paxton's family say his surgeron, Dr. Ali Khoynezhad, is to blame.
The news came on the anniversary of Paxton's death, when his family accused the actor's doctor of "misrepresenting and/or concealing information relating to the risks of surgery."
In a wrongful death lawsuit filed against Khoynezhad and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, they make the case that Paxton's death was "tragic and preventable."
And the details of their case are so sad.
In their lawsuit, Paxton's family accuses his surgeon and the hospital of using a "high risk and unconventional surgical approach."
They say Khoynezhad didn't properly explain the risky procedure to them, and that the surgeon wasn't qualified to perform it.
The suit alleges that Paxton suffered bleeding, cardiogenic shock, and a compromised artery during the procedure, which may have contributed to his fatal stroke.
In a statement on Entertainment Tonight, the family's doctor, Bruce Broillet, didn't mince words about who he says is to blame:
"Bill Paxton and his family trusted the physicians and staff at this medical facility but instead Cedars-Sinai betrayed their trust," he said.
Cedars-Sinai says that they can't legally comment on the case, and Khoynezhad no longer works at the hospital.
"Nothing is more important to Cedars-Sinai than the health and safety of our patients," the hospital said in a statement.
"These remain our top priorities. One of the reasons for our high quality is that we thoroughly review concerns about any patient's medical care. This process ensures that we can continue to provide the highest quality care."
We'll keep you updated on this story as we learn more!
