Bill Paxton’s Family Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Hospital And Surgeon

Big Love star Bill Paxton passed away last year on February 25, 2017, and a lawsuit recently filed by the family alleges both Cedars-Sinai Hospital’s and the actor’s cardiovascular surgeon Ali Khoynezhad’s negligent actions caused the actor’s untimely death. Paxton underwent heart surgery at the hospital to repair an aortic aneurysm and to replace his bicuspid aortic valve. Almost two weeks later, the actor suffered a stroke which ultimately led to his early death at the age of 61.

The suit, which was filed on February 9, 2018, alleges that Dr. Khoynezhad used “a high risk and unconventional surgical approach with which he lacked experience” and that the hospital and the surgeon, “misrepresented and/or concealed information relating to the risks of surgery.” The family also indicated in the filing that Paxton “suffered multiple complications, including, but not limited to, excessive bleeding, cardiogenic shock, right ventricular dysfunction, ventricular tachycardia, right ventricular ischemia, and a compromised, right coronary artery.”

The suit, which also includes 100 unnamed defendants, further alleges that the surgeon had left the operating room and the hospital by the time Paxton began suffering from complications and had not arranged for continuous care prior to leaving the hospital. As a result of the complications, Paxton had to undergo “an emergent coronary artery bypass graft, placement of an intra-aortic balloon pump, placement of a right ventricular assist device and ECMO support.” The suit further alleges the surgeon did not return to the operating room in a timely manner when informed of the complications, all of which caused a delay in Paxton’s treatment.

Bruce Broillet, the family’s attorney, said in a statement that “Bill Paxton and his family trusted the physicians and staff at this medical facility but instead Cedars-Sinai betrayed their trust. The surgeon’s actions resulted in this tragic and preventable death.”

In a statement, Cedars-Sinai said they could not comment about patient care without written authorization due to state and federal privacy laws, but they did add to their statement by saying “Nothing is more important to Cedars-Sinai than the health and safety of our patients. 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.”

Dr. Khoynezhad has not returned any calls or issued a statement.