A New York law firm said Tuesday it had been retained by Melissa Rivers to investigate the death of her mother Joan Rivers.

The investigation into the 81-year-old Rivers' death, which was due to complications during routine outpatient throat examination, could result in civil litigation against the clinic where the procedure occurred.

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Ben Rubinowitz, a senior partner at Gair, Gair, Conason, Steigman  Mackauf, Bloom & Rubinowitz issued a statement saying his firm had been engaged by Melissa Rivers and family "to fully determine the facts and circumstances surrounding the death of Joan Rivers."

The Rubinowitz law firm is considered a legal powerhouse. It's one of New York's oldest firms founded in 1919 and very selective about cases, sources said.

Any lawsuit would be in the multimillion dollar range should it be filed against Yorkville Endoscopy Clinic where the procedure took place on August 28. Rivers was rushed to nearby Mount Sinai Hospital where she died after being kept on life support for a week.

Dr. Lawrence Cohen, an experienced gastroenterologist and clinic medical director, performed the scheduled endoscopy. Rivers died from cardiac arrest allegedly following an unauthorized additional procedure by her personal physician, Dr. Gwen Korovin, who wasn't supposed to be allowed in the surgery room.

Clinic workers told authorities that Korovin attempted to perform a laryngoscopy examining Rivers' vocal folds. Rivers had complained of being hoarse and having a sore throat previously. Clinic officials to date have denied anybody performed a vocal cord biopsy just prior to Rivers going into cardiac arrest.

The official cause of death refers to the procedure and use of propofol, the same sedative that caused Michael Jackson's death and is routinely used in surgical procedures.

The Medical Examiner's Office, however, has yet to release an official cause of death. Korovin and Cohen deny any guilt.

TagsJoan Rivers, Melissa Rivers, wrongful death, Surgery, death, Yorkville Endoscopy Clinic