Orange County Doctor Facing Numerous Medical Malpractice Lawsuits and the Suspension of His License

An Orange County plastic surgeon is facing dozens of complaints from former patients and is the subject of an inquiry from the Orange County District Attorney after allegedly botching numerous procedures, one of which resulted in the death of a patient. A fellow plastic surgeon and the chief of plastic surgery at an Orange County hospital labeled the doctor “a danger to the community.”

Three dozen former patients have accused the plastic surgeon of using unlicensed technicians to perform procedures, treating his female patients in a degrading manner, and hard-selling unnecessary procedures in numerous civil lawsuits filed against the doctor in Orange County Superior Court.

Prosecutors have now stepped in to file a complaint against the doctor echoing many of the concerns his former patients have. One patient alleges she experienced “life-altering” complications from a botched liposuction procedure. The doctor has specifically touted himself as an expert in “High-Definition Liposuction” having penned a book about the procedure. In the book, he claims that High-Definition Liposuction is a “game-changer” that allows surgeons to sculpt bodies to “previously unattainable results.”

Understanding the allegations

The defendant doctor is accused of performing unneeded procedures on patients without their informed consent. Further, he performed procedures that resulted in disfigurement or infection. Attorneys for the plaintiffs claim that he placed his financial interests over the well-being of his patients.

The doctor is further accused of allowing unlicensed employees to perform some procedures and handle post-operative care. Patients accuse the doctor of removing their clothing and touching them without their consent. One plaintiff’s attorney wrote that the doctor belittled and degraded patients while they stood naked before a mirror in his consultation room. By doing so, he pressured patients into getting procedures that they did not need or want. In some cases, he performed procedures that the patients had not agreed to.

Some former patients have alleged that they had to be hospitalized after the doctor’s surgeries, sometimes with life-threatening complications related to postoperative infections.

In one case, a patient died. Hours after she was discharged following a liposuction and other procedures, the patient complained of being short of breath. She collapsed and ended up in the intensive care unit of another hospital. Two days later, she was dead. According to the hospital, her death resulted from “surgical intervention leading to cardiac arrest and cerebral anoxia.” In other words, the oxygen supply to her brain was completely cut off.

The state medical board accused the doctor of “gross negligence” in the case. Specifically, they claimed he allowed surgical techs to perform liposuction on the patient. As a result, the doctor’s license to practice medicine was temporarily suspended followed by a 10-year period of probation.

Talk to an Oakland, CA Medical Malpractice Attorney Today

Venardi Zurada represents the interests of patients who have been injured due to the negligent practice of medicine. Call our Oakland personal injury lawyers today to schedule a free consultation, and we can begin reviewing your case immediately.

Source:

ocregister.com/2023/12/04/oc-face-body-and-breast-sculptor-known-as-dr-laguna-faces-slew-of-accusations/