Bernie Mac Wrongful Death Lawsuit

The widow of actor/comedian Bernie Mac has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the doctor who treated the star in the days before his death nearly two years ago, The Chicago Sun-Times reported Friday.

Rhonda McCullough is seeking $50,000 from dermatologist Rene Earles, who she alleges failed to send her ailing husband — her high school sweetheart — straight to the hospital when he came to his clinic approximately a month before he died.

Her suit, lodged in Chicago this week, claims the delay contributed to more serious health problems that ultimately lead to the Ocean’s Eleven actor’s death at the age of 50 on August 9, 2008, due to complications related to pneumonia.

Earles “failed to recognize cardiopulmonary instability in Bernie” and “failed to recognize and act upon abnormal vital signs and signs of respiratory failure,” the suit alleges.

In an interview with The Sun-Times this week, Earles, 69, denied the allegations, explaining that the actor came to the clinic to treat lesions on his head, face and neck caused by his inflammatory lung disease, sarcoidosis. Earle says he provided treatment and then had Mac sleep for a few hours after he showed signs of fatigue. Once he realized Mac had been diagnosed with pneumonia in both lungs he instructed Mac to go to the hospital.

“It was entirely devastating. Look, Bernie was my patient. Bernie was my friend. We became extremely close — we were like brothers.”