A Boynton Beach plastic surgeon has been sentenced to two years in prison after he pleaded guilty to four counts of practicing without a license. In Palm Beach Circuit Court on Tuesday, Dr. Mark Schreiber issued an apology, telling the judge that he believed he was “doing the right thing.”
Schreiber’s license has been suspended three times since 1999, and several complaints about him had been filed with the state of Florida. According to his defense lawyer, Schreiber never performed any surgeries during the periods of suspension, but he did see patients for follow up visits and informed them that his license was suspended. Schreiber’s plea agreement will allow patients to obtain restitution.
One of Schreiber’s patient, Cara Hart, says she went to the Boynton Beach plastic surgeon for a breast lift three years ago and that the procedure was botched. Hart continued to visit Schreiber daily after the surgery so he could try to repair the damage. She says he treated her while his license was suspended.
Another patient, 51-year-old Sherri DiLorenzo, says that she suffered permanent disfigurement after Schreiber gave her breast implants. 49-year-old Sue Danciu says she also became permanently disfigured after the plastic surgeon performed an eye lift and a face lift. Danciu says she did not know that Schreiber didn’t have a license.
In 2005, a Boca Raton woman says that she went to Schreiber for treatment and he touched her breast and inner thigh.
The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation says at least six medical malpractice settlements totaling over $1 million have been paid to patients on Schreiber’s behalf. According to Florida records, injuries that led to the settlements included burns, damaged organs, surgical materials left in a patient, limb loss, deafness, finger loss, kidney loss, lung loss, and eye loss.
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons:
• There were 11.8 million cosmetic procedures in 2007.
• 20% of these procedures took place in hospitals.
• 59% of these procedures occurred in an office-based space.
• 21% of these procedures occurred in a free-standing ambulatory surgical location.
Cosmetic Surgery Malpractice
Plastic surgery malpractice can occur if the surgeon, anesthesiologist, nurse, or another practitioner makes a mistake during a procedure. Examples of cosmetic surgery injuries: facial paralysis, dangerous breast implant leaks, and scarring.
Boynton Beach plastic surgeon sent to prison for practicing without a license, Sun-Sentinel.com, August 27, 2008
Former Plastic Surgeon Headed to Prison, CBS12.com, August 26, 2008
New documentary exposes horrors of botched plastic surgery, NYDailyNews.com, July 31, 2008
Related Web Resources:
General Risks and Complications, SmartPlasticSurgery.com,
American Society of Plastic Surgeons
Halberg & Fogg PLLC, Attorneys at Law represents personal injury clients throughout Florida. We have law offices conveniently located in Miami, West Palm Beach, and Port St. Lucie.