New York surgeon discovered dead at home was sued by NFL player for 'ending his career'

Dr. Dean Lorich was sued by a former football player who claimed he botched his surgery which ended his career. (Hospital for Special Surgery)

A New York surgeon who was found dead in his apartment Sunday was sued last year by a former New York Giants running back who accused the doctor of ending his NFL career.

Dr. Dean Lorich, 54, who was discovered dead by his 11-year-old daughter in his Manhattan apartment, gained notoriety for performing surgery on U2 frontman Bono, the New York Post reported.

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Last year, Michael Cox sued the surgeon for allegedly botching a surgery performed in 2014. Cox broke his leg during a game on Nov. 9, 2014 and underwent surgery for his fibula. Cox alleged Lorich did not fix his damaged ankle bones, his lawyer, Steven North, told the New York Post.

“We maintain that it should have been repaired before it got worse, and it wasn’t,” North said.

Michael Cox (29), a former running back for the New York Giants, sued Dr. Dean Lorich for a botched surgery. (Reuters)

“Michael went on to see Lorich for a few post-operative visits, and the condition continued to deteriorate. Apparently it wasn’t recognized and nothing was done about it,” he continued.

The football player had a four-year, $2.3 million contract with the team. North said Cox would unlikely be able to play the game again.

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“He went to [other] doctors, they noted a major difference in the deterioration of that bone, tried to salvage it (and) could not,” North said. “And he’s precluded in all likelihood from playing football again.”

Cox filed the suit against Lorich, the New York-Presbyterian Hospital and Hospital for Special Surgery.

Lorich was discovered with a knife in his chest and police sources said the death appeared to be a suicide.

In 2014, the doctor performed surgery on Bono after the singer fell off his bike and landed on his face, fracturing his elbow, eye socket and shoulder.