Family of singer sues doctor over his death

LOS ANGELES — Family members of Chris Cornell on Thursday sued a doctor they say overprescribed drugs to the rock singer, leading to his death.

Cornell’s widow, Vicky Cornell, and their children, Toni and Christopher, are plaintiffs in the lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court alleging that prescription drugs, especially the anti-anxiety drug lorazepam, led to erratic behaviour from the Soundgarden frontman before his death in Detroit in 2017 at age 52.

The lawsuit says Dr. Robert Koblin and his Beverly Hills office “negligently and repeatedly” prescribed “dangerous mindaltering controlled substances to Chris Cornell which impaired Mr. Cornell’s cognition, clouded his judgment, and caused him to engage in dangerous impulsive behaviours that he was unable to control, costing him his life.”

It focuses in particular on Koblin’s prescribing Cornell large amounts of lorazepam - which is sold under the brand name Ativan - to Cornell in the 20 months leading up to his death. The lawsuit states Koblin and his office staff issued the prescriptions without the doctor physically examining or speaking to Cornell during that time period.

Coroner’s investigators ruled Cornell’s death a suicide by hanging. Toxicology tests showed the presence of Ativan along with barbiturates, caffeine, the anti-opioid drug naloxone, and a decongestant. But the autopsy report said the drugs were not a cause of death.