Joan Rivers: The Medical Blunders That Killed Her

The daughter of Joan Rivers has settled her medical malpractice suit against the clinic where a procedure ended in the beloved comic's death — and Melissa Rivers' ten-figure payout is no surprise to readers of The National ENQUIRER. Insiders had already revealed to ENQUIRER reporters all of the shocking mishaps that cost Joan her life during a routine procedure on Aug. 28, 2014.

Joan, 81, was undergoing a laryngoscopy and an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy at Yorkville Endoscopy when she went into "hypoxic arrest" — meaning a lack of oxygen to the brain. The famously outspoken comic was rushed to New York’s Mount Sinai hospital. She would die there on Sept. 4 after being removed from life support. An ENQUIRER investigation revealed that the minor procedure Joan underwent carried only a tiny 0.5% mortality rate, while also exposing startling new evidence on the bizarre tragedy!

Insiders told The ENQUIRER that after the beloved comedienne was sedated, a tube was passed down her throat in an effort to examine her vocal cords. The legendary entertainer stopped breathing and suffered both respiratory and cardiac arrest. “Investigators suspected a fatal drug cocktail” could have been administered to the 5-foot-2, 102-pound star after she entered the clinic, according to a source.

An investigation held by the New York Department of Health and Human Services later charged the clinic with several violations, including: not obtaining the patient's consent for a procedure, mistakes in administering the anesthesia Propofol, failing to take Rivers' weight, allowing an unauthorized doctor to perform a procedure, and violating the patient's privacy by taking a cell phone photograph during surgery!.

An investigation held by the New York Department of Health and Human Services later charged the clinic with several violations, including: not obtaining the patient's consent for a procedure, mistakes in administering the anesthesia Propofol, failing to take Rivers' weight, allowing an unauthorized doctor to perform a procedure, and violating the patient's privacy by taking a cell phone photograph during surgery!.

The report filed by the New York Department of Health and Human Services also noted that the doctors in attendance had bungled the moment when Joan began to suffer the hypoxic arrest. Documents charge that the attending physicians had “failed to identify deteriorating vital signs and provide timely intervention.”

And in a shocking twist, it was later revealed that clinic medical director Dr. Lawrence Cohen had allowed Joan's personal ear, nose and throat specialist to participate in the operation — even though Dr. Gwen Korovin was allegedly not authorized to practice medicine in the clinic. Top expert Dr. Kevin Campbell told The ENQUIRER it’s possible that Joan’s sedation may not even have been performed by a board-certified anesthesiologist!

And in a shocking twist, it was later revealed that clinic medical director Dr. Lawrence Cohen had allowed Joan's personal ear, nose and throat specialist to participate in the operation — even though Dr. Gwen Korovin was allegedly not authorized to practice medicine in the clinic. Top expert Dr. Kevin Campbell told The ENQUIRER it’s possible that Joan’s sedation may not even have been performed by a board-certified anesthesiologist!

In piecing together her terrifying final minutes, The ENQUIRER learned that a 911 call was made by the clinic at 9:40 a.m. Six minutes later, at 9:46 a.m., the first emergency responders arrived from the fire department — followed by another unit a minute later. Then some 31 minutes lapsed until the entertainer, clinging to life, arrived via ambulance at the hospital that was one mile away from the clinic.

Melissa's lawsuit named, among others, Dr. Cohen, Dr. Korovin, and anesthesiologist Robert Koniuta. "In accepting this settlement," said Melissa, "I am able to put the legal aspects of my mother’s death behind me and ensure that those culpable for her death have accepted responsibility for their actions quickly and without equivocation."