Plaintiff Accuses Organ Procurement Entities of Fatal Medical Negligence

A harrowing case of alleged medical malpractice has emerged from the Northern District of Ohio, where a widow is suing several medical entities and unidentified physicians over the death of her husband following a kidney transplant. The complaint was filed by Kathlene L. Kurowicki on November 20, 2025, against Buckeye Transplant Services, LLC; LifeCenter Northwest; and John Doe Physicians 1-10.

The lawsuit centers around the tragic death of Barney Chester Kurowicki, who received a kidney transplant in December 2024. According to the complaint, Mr. Kurowicki died from rabies transmitted through the donor kidney he received. The plaintiff alleges that Buckeye Transplant Services and LifeCenter Northwest failed in their duties to ensure the safety and suitability of the organ used for transplantation. Specifically, it is claimed that the donor had been scratched by a skunk shortly before his death, raising concerns about potential rabies infection—a risk allegedly ignored by those responsible for evaluating and approving the organ for transplant.

Kathlene Kurowicki asserts that neither her husband nor their family were informed about this critical risk prior to the surgery. She accuses both organizations and their associated physicians of negligence for not properly communicating or investigating this information, leading to her husband’s untimely death. “All Defendants knew or should have known it was possible that the donor’s kidney was infected with rabies,” states one part of the complaint.

The lawsuit seeks compensatory damages exceeding $75,000 for each cause of action cited against Buckeye Transplant Services and LifeCenter Northwest. It claims wrongful death due to negligence under multiple legal theories including corporate negligence and vicarious liability for medical malpractice committed by unidentified physicians employed by these entities.

Representing Kathlene L. Kurowicki are attorneys Robert F. Daley and David A. Martin from Robert Peirce & Associates, P.C., based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The case has been assigned Case ID: 3:25-cv-02534 but does not yet list an assigned judge.