Legal News

Million-dollar settlement for patients and their families affected by Kaiser's overburdened transplant program

By Richard Binder

Kaiser Permanente, the nation's largest HMO, has agreed to pay $1 million to settle claims on behalf of five patients alleging mishandling of its kidney transplant program, endangering lives and causing deaths.

The arbitration claims were filed shortly after a Los Angeles Times investigation in 2006 found that Kaiser's Northern California kidney transplant program jeopardized hundreds of patients by forcing them into a new program unprepared to handle an enormous caseload. Kaiser announced plans to shut down the program less than two weeks after the first article ran.

The settlements ranged from $100,000 to $300,000 for each client. Most were limited by a state law passed in 1975 capping malpractice awards for "pain and suffering" to no more than $250,000. There is no limit on what patients can collect for loss of future wages. Lawrence Eisenberg represented two former patients and the families of three deceased patients.

Full story at LATimes.com.

Full post as published by Legal Pad | LA on April 17, 2009 (boomark / email).