The family of late Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell have settled a malpractice lawsuit with physician Robert Koblin, over “negligently and repeatedly” prescribing dangerous medication to Cornell.
As Billboard report, court documents filed to Los Angeles Superior Court on April 2nd, 2021 revealed that Cornell’s widow Vicky Cornell and their two children, Toni and Christopher, reached a confidential settlement with defendants Robert Koblin, M.D. and his Beverly Hills practice, Robertson Cardiovascular Center.
First filed in November, 2018, the lawsuit claimed that Koblin and his practice prescribed medication to Cornell that affected his judgement and cognition — highlighting Cornell’s excessive prescription to the anti-anxiety medication lorazepam (Ativan.) The medication allegedly heightened Cornell’s reckless behaviour, which ultimately led to his suicide by hanging. The suit also alleges that Koblin prescribed the painkiller Oxycodone to the singer.
The suit argued that Koblin failed to warn Cornell, who had a lengthy history of substance misuse, of the risks and side effects of the prescribed medications.
Post-mortem toxicology results showed a cocktail of lorazepam, barbiturates, the sedative butalbital, caffeine and decongestants in Cornell’s system. A corresponding autopsy result determined that drugs were not the cause of death.
The motion, filed by Cornell’s lawyer Melissa Lerner, requested that all documents relevant to the settlement remain sealed or redacted. Lerner claims that the Cornell family have been “harassed” by “troubled individuals” since the passing of Chris.
Since the passing of Chris Cornell, Vicky has been embroiled in a number of legal battles with the remaining members of Soundgarden, ranging from a lawsuit surrounding withheld royalties and unreleased recordings in 2019, and another just last year which claimed that Cornell had used funds raised by by a 2019 charity concert for “personal purposes”.
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Back in February, another legal drama was set in motion. With Cornell filing a lawsuit regarding the sum offered as part of a buyout.
Chris Cornell and the remaining members of Soundgarden (that is, Kim Thayil, Matt Cameron, and Ben Shepherd) were all involved in a partnership at the time of his death. However, his widow Vicky reportedly requested the surviving members of the band buy her out of the partnership, which is where the new legal issues arise.
Cornell alleged the band offered “the villainously low figure of less than $300,000,” despite a separate $16m offer being made to her for unheard recordings. Cornell claims that counteroffers of both $4m and $7m were also rejected by the band, prompting the new lawsuit to be filed.
