Settlement Reached in John Ritter Suit

The family of late actor John Ritter has reached a tentative settlement in a wrongful death lawsuit against Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, where the actor died, an attorney for the hospital said Wednesday.

"There is an agreement in principle," attorney Rory Hernandez told The Associated Press. "But we still have to follow the legal procedure."

Hearings will be held to finalize the agreement, he said, with the next court session set for Friday.

Hernandez declined to disclose details of the settlement. The hospital will issue a statement in several weeks, he said.

Court documents filed by the hospital on March 10 indicate Ritter's family members "are potentially receiving a large monetary settlement in this case." Ritter's widow, Amy Yasbeck, has claimed damages in excess of $25 million, court documents show.

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