SoCal Woman Sues After Husband Dies During Hair Transplant

April 2007

The wife of a man who died during a hair transplant operation has filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against a Southern California cosmetic surgery office.

The suit names Crown Cosmetic Surgery of Los Angeles and several doctors as defendants.

According to the action, Yvonne Robison-Riley's 52-year-old husband, Walter Riley, went to Crown Cosmetic for a hair transplant in April 2006.

Attorney Ron Wilson said it is supposed to be a several-hour procedure. Wilson said, "They anesthetize you, they do the hair grafts and you come out looking great later."

But in Riley's case, Wilson said "he went in and within an hour he was dead."

Wilson said a medical expert retained by his law firm determined Riley had been given an overdose of anesthetic.

The suit seeks unspecified damages.