Six women have filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against Vancouver plastic surgeon Allen Gabriel and PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center.
The suit was filed in Clark County Superior Court on May 2, 2013. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of six women, all of who underwent surgery performed by Dr. Gabriel at the hospital.
The women claim they had unacceptable outcomes from their cosmetic procedures and that Gabriel was negligent in the care he provided to them. Some of the women experienced postoperative complications and almost all of them required additional corrective surgeries.
One of the women, Katheryn “Michele” Bridgman, said she underwent surgery with Gabriel in July 2010 to remove excess skin and fat from her stomach and hips after losing 100 pounds, which was the result of gastric bypass surgery.
After the surgery, Bridgman said she was left with pockets of fat on her hips and a bulge in her pubic area that has made sexual intercourse almost impossible. Corrective surgeries are estimated to cost about $19,000, said 65-year-old Bridgman.
There is at least one other woman who underwent a similar procedure to remove excess skin, and some women received breast-reduction surgeries, Bridgman said.
In his response, which was filed in Superior Court, Gabriel denies he was negligent or caused or contributed to any injury.
Gabriel is board certified since November 2009.and is in good standing with the Washington State Department of Health. No complaints have been filed against him, according to the department spokesman.
Although the lawsuit does not specify how much money the women are seeking in damages, it is expected that the trial will take place next spring, unless a settlement is reached outside of court prior.
For additional information, feel free to contact one of our Gacovino Lake attorneys at 1-800-246-HURT (4878).
