If you are a Black American who has suffered or is currently suffering with kidney disease, you may have been wrongfully delayed in being placed on the kidney transplant waitlist based on your race. Don’t hesitate, contact us today to learn more about your legal rights.
The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) – (the organization that manages the organ and donation and transplant system in the United States) – and affiliated hospitals have been using a race-based formula that artificially inflates kidney function scores based on unscientific eugenics-style racial stereotyping. These artificially inflated function score can translate to delays in Black Americans being placed on the kidney transplant waitlist.
Keller Rohrback represents Arthur Maddox in a civil rights lawsuit against UNOS and Swedish Hospital for using an outdated, race-based equation that treated blacks unfairly. The lawsuit alleges that this faulty formula gave blacks healthier kidney scores on the assumption that they were more muscular than non-blacks, leading to individuals like Mr. Maddox waiting significantly longer to receive a new kidney. UNOS announced in June 2022 that hospitals should stop using this outdated, race-based equation. Mr. Maddox finally received a new kidney in January 2024, nearly seven years after he was placed on the wait list.
Nationwide, more than 100,000 individuals are on the kidney transplant wait list. Despite making up approximately 13% of the population, blacks make up more than 30% of the individuals on the wait list. And for the last two decades, blacks have had to wait significantly longer than non-blacks to receive new kidneys as a result of this race-based formula.
If you believe that you or a loved one may have been negatively affected in your wait for a kidney transplant, contact us today. Call (800) 776-6044 or email us at [email protected], or complete the form on this page today for a free, no-obligation consulation.
To learn more about Arthur Maddox’s story and his pending lawsuit, check out this story and article by King 5 news in Seattle.
About Keller Rohrback L.L.P.
Keller Rohrback’s Complex Litigation Group has a national reputation as the go-to plaintiffs’ firm for large-scale, complex individual and class action cases. We represent public and private investors, businesses, governments and individuals in a wide range of actions, including securities fraud, fiduciary breach, antitrust, insurance coverage, whistleblower, environmental and product liability cases. Founded in 1919, Keller Rohrback has eight offices across the country in Seattle, Portland, Oakland, Santa Barbara, Phoenix, Denver, Missoula, and New York. Over the past century, our firm has built a distinguished reputation by providing top-notch representation.
Keller Rohrback has won verdicts in state and federal courts throughout the nation, and has obtained judgments and settlements on behalf of clients in excess of $94 billion.
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Not licensed to practice law in all states. Please refer to krcomplexlit.com for details.
CONTACT US: