TUCSON, AZ — The U.S. government has agreed to a $3 million settlement with Coast Guard veteran Calvin Jordan after VA medical staff failed to act on a critical lab result—leading to the loss of a transplanted kidney and permanent disability.
View the case documents here.
Mr. Jordan, a retired E-8 with over 20 years of service and deployments to the Persian Gulf, underwent a successful kidney transplant at the Southern Arizona VA in 2020. Months later, a routine blood test showed early signs of organ rejection—an issue that was treatable if caught in time. But the result was missed.
The VA had recently switched from a lab vendor that flagged urgent results by phone to a system that relied on email alerts. According to deposition testimony, no one identified the abnormal value, and the transplant failed. Mr. Jordan now lives with chronic pain, cannot work, and requires long-term care.
“This was a preventable failure,” said Jason Kelly, partner at Kelly & Lyons. “Calvin served his country for decades. He deserved better than to be failed by a broken system.”
Jordan’s wife and five children were also plaintiffs in the case, citing the loss of companionship and support.
“Cutting corners on patient safety has real human costs,” said Richard Lyons, partner at Kelly & Lyons. “We hope this outcome forces change.”
The VA has not confirmed whether it has reinstated the previous “hot hand-off” lab alert system
