Melissa Rivers: Joan Rivers Daughter to Sue Manhattan Clinic Over Mother’s Death

Melissa Rivers: Joan Rivers Daughter to Sue Manhattan Clinic Over Mother’s Death
Melissa Rivers (center R) and son Cooper Endicott (center L) attend the Joan Rivers memorial service at Temple Emanu-El on September 7, 2014 in New York City. Rivers passed away on September 4, 2014 after suffering respiratory and cardiac arrest during vocal cord surgery on August 28, 2014. (D Dipasupil/Getty Images)
Zachary Stieber
9/17/2014
Updated:
9/18/2014

Melissa Rivers believes that the clinic treating her mother Joan Rivers before her death did things wrong and will sue the clinic.

Yorkville Endoscopy in Manhattan allegedly let Rivers’ doctor perform an unscheduled procedure on Rivers, which led to her death.

“It’s become very clear to Melissa and experts she has spoken to that her mother didn’t have to die,” a source told Radar Online.

“This was a routine endoscopy that went wrong. Melissa has also been told that staff members at Yorkville Endcoscopy revealed a shocking detail to medical investigators looking into Joan’s death — something occurred during the procedure that wasn’t medically related.”

“It was something related to Joan’s personal ear, nose and throat doctor and it wasn’t about the unplanned biopsy she did,” the source added.

“Melissa will await the outcome of the official medical investigation and then absolutely file the lawsuits.”

The new information comes amid reports that the doctor performing the procedure on Rivers’ took a selfie while operating on her.

The clinic recently said that its medical director Dr. Lawrence Cohen was relieved and no longer performing producers, but did not elaborate on the circumstances surrounding Cohen’s departure.

Cohen, a respected gastroenterologist, did not return telephone messages. An email to Cohen’s account at Mount Sinai Hospital bounced back.

Rivers died Sept. 4 at Mount Sinai Hospital, a week after going into cardiac arrest. The sharp-tongued comedian, talk show host and fashionista was 81.

The state health department has said it’s investigating “the whole matter.” A spokesman for the department did not immediately have an update on the investigation Friday.

The city medical examiner’s office is also investigating. A spokeswoman for the office said this week that a determination on the cause and manner of Rivers’ death are pending further studies.

Cohen has been listed in New York state records as a co-owner of Yorkville Endoscopy.

He has taught at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, contributed to more than 150 books and articles on gastroenterology and lectured on various topics, including colorectal cancer screening and endoscopic sedation, according to a biography posted on the clinic’s website.

There are no disciplinary actions on Cohen’s record and his license is current, according to state records.

A Mount Sinai spokesman said Cohen no longer teaches there, but still has a professional relationship with the hospital.

“Dr. Lawrence Cohen is a voluntary physician with admitting privileges at The Mount Sinai Hospital,” spokesman Sid Disnay said. “He maintains a private practice.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.