Jury Declares Doctors Were Not Negligent in Their Care of John Ritter

A Glendale, California jury has declared that the two doctors involved in a lawsuit, filed by the widow of John Ritter and his family, were not negligent in their care of the actor. On February 4, 2008, Ritter's widow, Amy Yasbeck filed suit against the doctors for negligence in properly diagnosing and treating John Ritter.

A radiologist Dr Matthew Lotysch was accused of failing to catch a torn aorta in a scan that was performed in 2001. According to the Associated Press, Dr. Lotysch had advised Ritter that he had calcification in three coronary arteries and to have a follow up examine but the actor never did. Dr Joseph Lee was the cardiologist that treated Ritter on September 11, 2003. Dr. Lee treated Ritter for a heart attack.

Yasbeck and her family sued the doctors for $67M for wages that Ritter would have made if he were still alive today.

Before his premature death at the age of 54, he was working of the set of the sitcom 8 Simple Rules for dating my Teenage Daughter. Co-stars Katey Sagal, Kaley Cuoco, and Amy Davidson kept the show on the air for nearly two years after their on-screen father/husbands death.

Although Ritter has been on the air since 1969, he was best known for his zany and goofy character, Jack Tripper, in the comedy hit Three's Company. Three's Company was on the air from 1976-1986 where Ritter shared the spotlight with co-stars such as Joyce Dewitt, Richard Kline, Suzanne Somers, and Don Knotts. Ritter appeared in various other TV shows and made for TV movies including a 42-episode run of Hooperman from 1987-1989.