The widow of deceased comedian Bernie Mac had filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the last doctor to treat Mac before his death almost two years ago.
Rhonda McCullough filed the suit and has asked fo $50,000 from Rene Earles a dermatologist who she said failed to send Bernie to the hospital nearly one month before he died.
According to the lawsuit, the delay in Mac’s treatment led to more serious complications which ultimately led to Bernie’s death on August 9th 2008 at the age of 50, Bernie Mac was suffering from pneumonia at that time.
According to the suit Earles:
“failed to recognize cardiopulmonary instability in Bernie” and “failed to recognize and act upon abnormal vital signs and signs of respiratory failure.”
Earles of course denies the allegations and told The Sun-Times that he was treating Mac for sarcoidosis and once he realized that Mac had pneumonia he immediately told him to go to the hospital. He told the paper:
“It was entirely devastating. Look, Bernie was my patient. Bernie was my friend. We became extremely close — we were like brothers.”
I’m pretty sure more details will surface quickly with this case.
