Pennsylvania Hospital, Ohio Parents Settle Organ Donor Suit

An Ohio couple has settled their lawsuit against a northwestern Pennsylvania hospital they accused of killing their son to harvest his organs for transplant.

The parents of 18-year-old Gregory Jacobs had claimed Hamot Medical Center was responsible for his March 2007 death after he sustained a head injury during a school snowboarding trip in New York.

Michael and Theresa Jacobs, of Bellevue, Ohio, alleged Hamot doctors hastened their son’s death to harvest organs including his heart, liver and kidneys.

The case was settled Tuesday, the same day jury selection was scheduled to begin.

The family’s attorney said the terms of the settlement are confidential. Attorneys for the defendants did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The Erie County district attorney reviewed Jacobs’ records and found doctors followed proper procedures.