LASER LAWSUIT SETTLED
Apr 11, 2006
A doctor accused of causing permanent damage to a woman’s vision has settled the case out of court. In 2002, Brenda Saban, formerly of Idaho Falls, had laser hair removal on her eyebrows at Dr. David Bowman’s Clear Skin office. Saban says because of the treatment, she has permanent blurred vision and is unable to work. Suzanne Hobbs has an update to this case.
Recently settled out of court, this case that has gone back and forth for several years has come to an end, with neither side willing to give details of the financial settlement except to say it was settled with all sides satisfied with the outcome.
As we first reported in 2004, Brenda Saban was suing, not only Doctor Bowman, his urgent care center, and Clear Skin, but also the maker of the Lightsheer laser used during the session. She claims she was not informed of the risks of the procedure, which repeatedly uses a powerful laser to reduce hair growth. Saban was suing for emotional distress, pain and anguish, and for past and future medical expenses.
Attorneys for the defendants claim Brenda Saban knew there was an elevated risk of injury to the eye with laser eyebrow removal and that Saban had pre-existing medical issues, including eye and vision problems, at the time of the 2002 procedure. Attorneys for the plaintiff claim there was failure to properly use protective goggles and the defendants continued with the procedure with Brenda Saban after she complained of unusual and potentially alarming symptoms during the course of the procedure.
Doctor Bowman’s office no longer performs laser hair removal. Brenda Saban’s attorney, Richard Meyer, tells me that this not an isolated problem, but a national concern, that some people are using these lasers without the proper training. Full article