Burien cosmetic surgeon set to appeal multi-million-dollar verdict after patient left ‘permanently disfigured’
Dr Kristine Brecht said she would ‘strictly appeal’ the jury’s $13 million ruling and that the case was an ‘exception’.
An unnamed 43-year-old Kent woman has been awarded $13 million by a King County jury after her former plastic surgeon, Dr Kristine Brecht, allegedly left her “permanently disfigured.” and suffered from “fear, confusion (and) depression” related to the two surgeries in 2020.
The graphic photos included in the lawsuit show the patient’s abdomen after surgery with an open, infected wound, and the photos show thick, pronounced scars on the abdomen and arms.
“When she thinks about her body now, she thinks about how much she hates herself. It’s an overarching feeling she carries with her every day,” said plaintiff attorney Ruby Aliment.
This is the latest blow to Dr Burien, who has been at the center of the KING 5 investigation for the past year.
Last month, the Washington State Health Commission (WMC) ban Brecht was given a five-year term for performing unauthorized operations at her unlicensed day surgery center, Aesthetic Rejuvenation & Spa. The WMC found that Brecht had failed to comply with the conditions of the Order agreeing to stop performing sedation-requiring surgeries and that she had a “lack of remorse” or “perception that the conduct was wrong.”
The multi-million-dollar jury verdict follows a trial in which plaintiffs presented evidence that Brecht did not have the training or skills needed to perform liposuction, tummy tuck and breast augmentation. safely in processes. The lawsuit also alleges Brecht failed to disclose the risks associated with the surgeries, removed too much skin during surgery, and failed to provide proper care after surgery, even when the positions surgery seems to be infected.
According to the complaint, “(Patient) became increasingly depressed due to failed procedures. In response, Dr. Brecht suggested… that (the patient) see a dietitian and exercise more. She told (the patient) that ‘nothing is guaranteed in medicine.’”
“There is physical pain about what she’s been through but it’s also just Dr. Brecht’s betrayal and betrayal; it just made her lose faith in all the doctors and in herself,” Aliment said.
Response by Dr. Brecht
Dr. Brecht’s attorney issued statement Wednesday said the doctor will “sternly appeal” the sentence.
“Throughout her distinguished career, Dr Kristine Brecht has been dedicated to providing the highest standards of patient care and safety. Thousands of people have trusted her with their aesthetic and health needs because of her commitment, expertise and proven track record. This recent ruling is an outlier in a remarkable and unblemished career,” wrote Brecht attorney Jeffery Wheat.
The KING 5 investigation revealed that WMC had received at least 17 formal complaints about Dr. Brecht. A related complaint death of a woman in West Seattle in 2019. In that case, WMC found Brecht failed to take the usual medical protective measures including taking the patient’s complete medical history and performing a thorough examination. carefully before surgery.
According to her attorney, the recent jury verdict is a confirmation for the plaintiff.
“For my client, it’s really important for (the jury) to say, ‘We believe you and what happened to you is really wrong,'” Aliment said.
