Atlanta Residents Raise Alarm Over Botched Surgeries by Local Plastic Surgeon
In the bustling city of Atlanta, a growing group of former patients are coming together with serious allegations against a **local plastic surgeon**. These individuals claim that their experiences have left them with more than just dissatisfaction. According to a series of lawsuits, many have been left with permanent scarring and significant physical injuries.
At the heart of these controversies is Dr. Harvey “Chip” Cole, who, self-dubbed as “the eye guy”, operates from his clinic, Oculus Plastic Surgery. But under the lights of litigation, his reputation is coming under serious scrutiny.
A Painful Journey Under the Knife
One such individual, Kayla Cannon, shares her disheartening journey. Born with a **birth defect** affecting the muscles at the bottom of her eyelids, she’s no stranger to surgery, having undergone multiple procedures from a young age. But when Dr. Cole promised a permanent solution, Kayla was optimistic.
However, what was supposed to be a life-changing surgery soon turned into a harrowing ordeal. Cannon alleges that Dr. Cole not only failed to fix her eyelids but also persuaded her to undergo additional procedures, including cheek implants. What followed, she claims, were complications, infections, and a host of other issues. The scariest of all – damage to her eyes.
“He took half my lid off, so it was extremely tight. And he kept saying, I’ll fix it. I’ll fix it. Then I got infections on my cheeks,” she explained. Her experience is now detailed in one of four lawsuits filed against Dr. Cole.
Growing Concerns and Legal Battles
The number of plaintiffs seems to be swelling, with attorney Alex Seay representing several of these patients. Based on Seay’s reports, the narrative emerging is far from isolated incidents. “What we have here is a series of bad outcomes. And when you have so many of them, they stop being mistakes and they start being a pattern,” she said.
In response, Dr. Cole’s attorney, Scott Bailey, has indicated that they are in the early stages of investigating these claims. In a released statement, Bailey noted, “He (Cole) takes this matter seriously and always has the best interests of his patients in mind. However, he denies that he was negligent or otherwise used improper surgical techniques.”
The Shadow of Past Allegations
Interestingly, this isn’t the first time Cole’s medical practices have been called into question. A **previous $1.256 million judgment** against him has even had a broader impact, notably contributing to a renowned state supreme court case that overturned limits on jury awards back in 2010.
Channeling her distress, Cannon, who has undergone seven extra surgeries to rectify the issues alleged against Cole, said, “I look worse than when I started seeing him. Permanent scarring that will never go away.”
As the lawsuits continue to unravel, calls for accountability and justice resound louder in Atlanta. The patients, some of whom remain unnamed at this juncture, might only be the beginning. Moreover, responses from associated institutions such as Northside Hospital have been reticent, choosing not to comment on any matters related to these surgeries.
As locals await further developments, this situation serves as a stark reminder of the importance of research, transparency, and trust in the medical field. In the heart of the city, these brave voices hope not just for personal resolution but lessons learned for the medical community at large.
