The $7.5 million medical malpractice lawsuit comedian Dana Carvey filed against heart surgeon Dr. Elias Hanna for operating on a wrong artery has been settled. Financial details were not disclosed, but Carvey -- who discusses in this week's PEOPLE cover story how his life went awry after his bungled 1998 double bypass -- told the Associated Press that the settlement will be divided among charities, including those involved in heart research. "This lawsuit, from the beginning, was about accountability and doing everything I could to make sure that it wouldn't happen to someone else," said Carvey. "Both my wife and I are very satisfied with the outcome and bringing resolution to this case." A subsequent angioplasty alleviated Carvey's heart blockage, though in the meantime, he said he was so weak that he was forced to refuse acting jobs.

  • To read an excerpt of PEOPLE's cover story on Dana Carvey, click here.