Widow sues doctor over Cornell 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 antianxiety 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 mind-altering 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.

Coroner’s investigators ruled Cornell’s death a suicide by hanging. Toxicology tests showed the presence of Ativan along with barbiturates, caffeine, the antiopioid drug naloxone, and a decongestant.

But the autopsy report said the drugs were not a cause of death.

The lawsuit says the doctor knew that Cornell had a serious history of substance abuse, and he failed to examine or consult with him as he was prescribing the drugs. Staff reached by phone at Koblin’s office said there was no immediate comment.

Soundgarden was among the first groups to surge to international attention in a wave that later included Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains.