Providence St. John’s Off the Hook as Peter Fonda’s Widow Withdraws Claims

Margaret Fonda, the widow of Peter Fonda, has chosen to withdraw her claims against Providence St. John’s Health Center in Santa Monica regarding the treatment the iconic “Easy Rider” actor received before his passing in 2019. Court documents were filed by Margaret Fonda’s attorney on Thursday, requesting the dismissal of the lawsuit “with prejudice,” indicating that it cannot be reintroduced in the future. Previously, Margaret Fonda’s legal team dropped several doctors, including Dr. Alison C. Garb, the actor’s primary care physician from 2008 until his death.

The court papers do not specify whether a settlement was reached with the defendants or if the case was abandoned for other reasons. However, on April 3, Margaret Fonda’s lawyers mentioned that they had proposed a settlement within the insurance policy limits of one of the doctors involved in the lawsuit.

The legal complaint, which alleged medical malpractice and wrongful death, was initially filed in August 2020. It stated that Peter Fonda had undergone a CT scan for an aspirated object, during which a spiculated nodule in his left lung, identified as the primary source of his lung cancer, was discovered. The suit claimed that these results were not communicated to Garb, and the actor subsequently passed away at his Los Angeles home on August 16, 2019, at the age of 79.

Hospital attorneys presented the sworn declaration of Dr. James Leo to address the level of care provided by the nursing staff at Providence St. John’s. Dr. Leo, certified by the American Board of Emergency Medicine and the American Board of Internal Medicine, with a subspecialty certification in critical care medicine, stated: “Based on my thorough review of the materials, as well as my extensive education, training, and experience, I firmly believe that the nursing staff at Providence Saint John’s Health Center consistently adhered to the community’s standard of care when it came to treating and caring for Mr. Fonda.”

Peter Fonda, a member of a renowned Hollywood family, was not only an accomplished actor but also a director and screenwriter. In addition to his iconic role in “Easy Rider,” he appeared in films such as “Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry” and “Wanda Nevada.”

As the only son of the late Academy Award-winning actor Henry Fonda and the younger brother of actress Jane Fonda, Peter Fonda had two children who followed his footsteps into the entertainment industry. His son, Justin Fonda, currently 57 years old, and his daughter, Bridget Fonda, now 59, both pursued acting careers. Both children were from his first marriage to Susan Brewer, which took place in 1961 and ended in divorce in 1974.