The family of the late rock legend Prince is suing his former doctor who prescribed him pain medication.
The lawsuit filed this week in Hennepin County District Court alleges that Dr. Michael Schulenberg failed to treat Prince for an opiate addiction and therefore should be liable for his death.
Prince’s family is seeking unspecified damages in excess of $50,000 according to the suit, first reported by ABC News.com.
Schulenberg paid $30,000 to settle a federal civil violation alleging that the drugs that killed Prince were prescribed illegally. However, despite the settlement, his lawyer Paul Peterson believes the complaint is baseless.
“We understand this situation has been difficult on everyone close to Mr. Nelson and his fans across the globe,” he said in a statement. “Be that as it may, Dr. Schulenberg stands behind the care that Mr. Nelson received. We intend to defend this case.”
Prince Rogers Nelson died of an accidental overdose of fentanyl April 15, 2016.
Authorities say Dr. Michael Schulenberg confessed to prescribing oxycodone to Prince in the days leading up to his death, but that it was given under his bodyguard’s name to protect his privacy.