What Happened in the Phil Hartman Murder-Suicide Case?
Pfizer, the makers of Zoloft, never admitted to wrongdoing, citing that there was never scientific evidence that Zoloft was the cause of the murder-suicide. However, the wrongful death case was settled out of court for an undisclosed amount.
Did Hartman v. Pfizer (1999) Change Anything?
Because the case was settled out of court, the Hartman v. Pfizer case didn’t have a massive impact on the drug industry. As a matter of fact, Pfizer was brought to court several more times for wrongful death cases.
Publicly, however, the case brought the mental health and substance abuse conversations to light, changing how the news reported on such things. Many believed the Hartmans had a perfect marriage, but the 1998 tragedy revealed what was really happening behind closed doors. “20/20” and MSN ran specials on domestic abuse, drug addiction, mental health, and celebrity.
What Made the Phil Hartman Wrongful Death Case Unique?
The murder of Phil Hartman and the subsequent suicide of his wife shocked friends, family, and fans across the United States. Hartman was well-known and well-loved in comedic circuits as a writer, sketch comic, and actor. No one really saw this coming or could have predicted it.