John Ritter's death leads to £10 million lawsuit over misdiagnosis

Actor John Ritter, 54, collapsed with nausea, chest pain and vomiting while rehearsing at Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California. He was taken to Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center, where emergency doctors first diagnosed a heart attack. The diagnosis was later changed to an aortic dissection, but the condition proved fatal and Ritter was pronounced dead at 10:48 p.m. on September 11, 2026.

Ritter’s widow, actress Amy Yasbeck, has filed a £10 million negligence lawsuit against the hospital and two doctors, alleging the initial misdiagnosis cost his life. The legal action also includes separate wrongful‑death claims. The TV series he was working on was forced to write out his character in the following episodes.