‘Botched’ cosmetic surgery victim seeks

Posted 03/02/2011

A sum of up to £54 million in clinical negligence compensation is being sought by a woman who claims her life was ruined by botched plastic surgery.

Penny Johnson, 49, had a partial facelift with Dr Le Roux Fourie in August 2003, but she said the operation did not go the way it should have done.

Consequently, due to the nerve damage around her eye, the patient suffers from “uncontrollable facial movement, pain … and grimacing” that may never be cured.

Ms Johnson also alleges that the successful IT company she managed suffered after the operation because she found it difficult to meet with clients and she was eventually forced to sell it.

She is now seeking clinical negligence compensation from Dr Fourie for pain, suffering and lost earnings, stating that he tried to carry out “experimental” surgery on her and then cover it up.

In December last year, cosmetic surgery patient Denise Maitland received a £15,000 payout after she was left in agony by a facelift because her surgeon did not properly check her wounds for infection.

Rosamund Rhodes-Kemp, who heads the medical injury team at Ashtons Legal, comments: “There has been a steady increase in the number of claims involving cosmetic surgery over the last ten years. There have been calls for tighter regulation of this sector. 

“This and other claims highlight the importance of checking carefully the qualifications and experience of the doctor proposing to carry out any cosmetic surgical procedure, as it is far better to avoid this type of outcome than to have to take legal action afterwards”.