Chris Cornell Family Reaches Settlement With Doctor Who Allegedly Prescribed Singer Drugs

The family of late Soundgarden vocalist Chris Cornell have reportedly reached a settlement with [...]

By Stephen Andrew

The family of late Soundgarden vocalist Chris Cornell have reportedly reached a settlement with the doctor who is alleged to have prescribed the singer drugs. According to CBS News, back in April legal documents were filed Vicky Cornell, the singer's widow, as well as their children, Toni and Christopher Nicholas Cornell. The court paperwork confirms that both parties have reached an acceptable settlement in the lawsuit that Cornell's family filed back in 2018.

The Soundgarden and Audioslave frontman died by suicide in 2017, with his family arguing in court that medication prescribed by Dr. Robert Koblin — especially lorazepam, an anti-anxiety drug — caused Cornell to display erratic behavior before his tragic death. A Michigan coroner office determined that Cornell did have lorazepam — also known Ativan, the brand name — in his system at the time of his death. The coroner also found that barbiturates and naloxone, an anti-opioid drug, were also present in Cornell's system. However, these were not cited as factors in his death.

In their lawsuit, the Cornell family alleged that Koblin "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 behaviors that he was unable to control, costing him his life." They also alleged that Koblin knew of Cornell's past substance abuse issues. Koblin and his attorney subsequently denied any responsibility for Cornell's death.

In the new court filing, the Cornell family attorney states, "After years of litigation and settlement negotiations, Plaintiffs and Defendants ... have reached a confidential settlement agreement to resolve all claims." They add that the case has "received significant media coverage and attention from fans of Mr. Cornell and allies of Plaintiffs." The filing continues, "Unfortunately, as with many celebrity cases, this action has also attracted the attention of troubled individuals who have harassed Plaintiffs, including by threatening the life and safety of Plaintiffs Toni Cornell and Christopher Nicholas Cornell."

Notably, Toni and Christopher Nicholas are minors, which means that the case is not yet fully closed. Due to their ages, a judge will have to sign off on certain parts of the settlement. If for any reason the judge chooses not to or takes issue with those portions, the case will be forced to go to trial.

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