A surgery center has fired back at a physician who publicly blamed the facility for the death of a social media influencer, filing a counterclaim that accuses the doctor of making false and damaging statements about the circumstances surrounding the patient's passing.
JourneyLite filed the counterclaim this week against Dr. Shahryar Tork, challenging his assertions that the facility administered a lethal combination of medications to Rachel Tussey, who died in March at the age of 47 following cosmetic procedures that included a tummy tuck, liposuction, and umbilical hernia repair.
The surgery center maintains it has refrained from public commentary while continuing to investigate the influencer's death. In contrast, the facility accuses Dr. Tork of engaging in rhetoric that has been both reckless and intentionally misleading in the months since Tussey's passing.
JourneyLite specifically points to an April press conference during which Dr. Tork criticized the facility, alleging it had given Tussey excessive opioids that led to an overdose. The surgery center notes the physician held this press conference only after Tussey's family declined an autopsy and her body had already been cremated.
According to the counterclaim, the evidence contradicts Dr. Tork's overdose theory. JourneyLite asserts that Tussey remained alert and responsive following her surgery rather than displaying the drowsiness that would accompany an opioid overdose. The facility further states that its employees administered Narcan, a medication designed to reverse opioid overdoses, but Tussey did not respond to the treatment.
The lack of response to Narcan administration, JourneyLite argues, indicates that opioid overdose was not the cause of death. The surgery center contends that Dr. Tork made his public allegations to protect his professional reputation and is now seeking damages for defamation.
Dr. Tork has maintained that Tussey died after JourneyLite administered a lethal combination of fentanyl and Dilaudid. The physician filed his own lawsuit against the surgery center, stating his intention to ensure the truth emerges and prevent similar tragedies from affecting other patients and their families.
The dueling lawsuits highlight the ongoing dispute over what caused the death of the 47-year-old influencer. With no autopsy performed and the body cremated, the competing claims may prove difficult to resolve definitively through the legal system.
Dr. Tork has not responded to requests for comment on the counterclaim filed by JourneyLite.
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Ava Hart
Ava Hart is a pop culture junkie and loves to share what's happening in Hollywood and what trends are taking the world by storm.
