A shocking lawsuit has been filed, revealing a series of alleged medical malpractices and unethical practices by a prominent healthcare provider. The complaint, lodged by plaintiffs Theresa Dorn and Yul Dorn on September 9, 2025, in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco, targets Dignity Health Dialysis LLC and several associated entities and individuals.
The plaintiffs, Theresa and Yul Dorn, allege that Dr. Michael Borah, their primary care physician since 1986, along with Renal Medical Associates Inc., Sutter Health, DaVita & Dignity Health Dialysis LLC, and other unnamed defendants (DOES 1 to 20), engaged in various acts of negligence and malpractice. According to the complaint, Dr. Borah diagnosed Mrs. Dorn with a kidney disease called APOL1 in March 2022 after her creatinine levels were found to be elevated. Following this diagnosis, he prescribed medications that initially improved her condition from stage 4 to stage 3 kidney disease by February 2023.
However, the plaintiffs claim that from December 2023 onwards, Dr. Borah and the other defendants failed to exercise the standard level of care expected from medical professionals. They allegedly withheld medication to pressure Mrs. Dorn into becoming a dialysis patient at DaVita & Dignity Health Dialysis LLC—a facility in which Dr. Borah reportedly had an economic interest. Despite improvements with medication, Dr. Borah insisted on surgery for dialysis access and eventually stopped authorizing essential prescriptions under dubious pretenses.
The lawsuit accuses the defendants of violating both federal and state Physicians Ownership and Referrals Acts (Business and Professions Code §650 et seq.), as well as committing battery when inexperienced staff at DaVita & Dignity Health Dialysis LLC caused severe injury while attempting to administer dialysis on June 10, 2024. The plaintiffs further allege that these actions resulted in physical harm to Mrs. Dorn’s heart due to improper fluid removal during dialysis sessions starting June 13, 2024.
The complaint outlines multiple causes of action including medical malpractice against all defendants for failing to properly manage Mrs. Dorn’s anemia or calibrate fluid removal during dialysis; intentional infliction of emotional distress due to prioritizing profit over patient care; negligent infliction of emotional distress stemming from substandard healthcare; among others.
Theresa and Yul Dorn are seeking general damages for pain and suffering alongside compensation for incurred hospital bills and lost income resulting from Mrs. Dorn’s inability to work due to her deteriorating health condition caused by alleged negligence.
Representing the plaintiffs is attorney Robert Cowan (State Bar No:218786) based out of San Francisco while Judge Daeja Rogers presides over case number CGC-25-629299 in the Superior Court system where it was electronically filed.
Source: CGC25629299_Theresa_Dorn_v_Doctor_Michael_Complaint_County_of_San_Francisco_California.pdf
