LOS ANGELOS- According to USAToday.com, the family of the Soundgarden front man, Chris Cornell has filed a lawsuit against the late singer’s doctor for allegedly over-prescribing drugs to musician’s death. According to the coroner, Cornell died by hanging himself in May of 2017. Although drugs were not ruled the cause of death, the toxicology tests […]
LOS ANGELOS- According to USAToday.com, the family of the Soundgarden front man, Chris Cornell has filed a lawsuit against the late singer’s doctor for allegedly over-prescribing drugs to musician’s death.
According to the coroner, Cornell died by hanging himself in May of 2017. Although drugs were not ruled the cause of death, the toxicology tests revealed the presence of a number of drugs in Cornell’s system, including barbiturates, Ativan, caffeine, naloxone (an anti-opioid), and a decongestant.
Vicky Cornell, the singer’s widow, and the couple’s two children filed the lawsuit which states that Cornell began acting erratically after the doctor put him on Lorazepam, an anti-anxiety medication sold under the brand name Ativan.
The defendant, Dr. Robert Koblin prescribed Cornell Ativan for the 20 months prior to Cornell’s suicide. The plaintiffs claim that the doctor prescribed large amounts of the drug and that it caused Cornell to suffer from impaired cognition, clouded judgment, and led to him engaging in dangerous impulsive behaviors. The behaviors are claimed to have been something the singer could not control, and that led to his death.
Cornell had a history of substance abuse, a fact the doctor allegedly was aware of, though the lawsuit states that Koblin failed to monitor Cornell and the impact of the drugs on him.
Lorazepam has been linked to a heightened risk of suicide. Vicky Cornell claims that her husband showed no indication of being suicidal and had been making plans for future performances, recordings, and charitable work. She felt that the drugs were a definite cause of her husband’s behavior and death.
Cornell was a major figure in the 1990s grunge-rock music scene. Vicky Cornell commissioned a statue of the singer that is now on display at the Museum of Pop Culture.