Actor Jim Carrey’s legal team has won a bid to obtain his late Irish ex-girlfriend’s medical records so they can be used to defend the wrongful death lawsuit against him.
The Hollywood star is being sued after make-up artist Cathriona White (30), took a fatal overdose of prescription drugs.
Lawyers for her husband Mark Burton and mother Brigid Sweetman claim the actor (55), used his "wealth, influence and celebrity status" to provide the medication.
But Raymond Boucher, for Mr Carrey, argued Ms White had recently had breast augmentation and had been prescribed medication that could have been responsible for her death.
The family's lawyers tried to prevent the disclosure of her medical history on privacy grounds but Judge Deirdre Hill ruled at Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday that it should be disclosed.
Mr Boucher told the court: “One of the issues is her prescription medication. We know she had breast surgery that month, we know she had oxycodone prescribed to her that month.”
Must be disclosed
Other medical information that must be disclosed is whether she had sexually transmitted infections before meeting the actor.
It has been claimed that Carrey was responsible for giving her herpes type 1 and 2 in 2013 after testing positive under the false name of Jose Lopez.
After the hearing, Mr Boucher said the ruling is an “extremely important” victory for Carrey.
He added: “The most important thing is we want the medication evidence.
“We want to be able to establish that Mr Carrey absolutely did not transmit any herpes and he did not give her his pain medication, and she could access her own.”
‘Very nervous’
But the family's lawyer Michael Avenatti also claimed victory, warning the actor his medical details could also be made public.
“We are pleased because now the same standard will apply to Mr Carrey. He should be very nervous,” he said.
Ms White, from Cappawhite, Co Tipperary, was found dead in her Los Angeles home in September 2015.
She had taken an overdose of Ambien, Propranolol and Percocet, which contains oxycodone.
Mr Carrey, who denies all the allegations, will face a 20-day jury trial over the claims under the Drug Dealer Liability Act from April 26th next.
Press Association