A former patient was recently ordered to pay $12 million to an Arizona plastic surgeon at the conclusion of an online defamation suit, according to the American Medical News. Dr. Albert Carlotti III faced online attacks by a former patient.
The patient, Sherry Petta, began posting negative reviews about Dr. Carlotti in 2008, following surgery that she claims left her face 'disfigured.' Dr. Carlotti sued Petta after learning about her online posts. In 2007, Carlotti had performed several surgeries, including rhinoplasty, on Petta. In addition to complaining about the surgical results, Sherry Petta also started her own website, posting claims that the doctor did not have board certification and was being investigated by the state medical board. She then called some of Dr. Carlotti's other patients to repeat the same claims, according to court documents.
He says that he lost hundreds of patients as a result of the online attacks, forcing him to sell his home. At one point, Dr. Carlotti explained in court, he considered relocating his Scottsdale cosmetic surgery clinic to another country where patients would be less likely to see the damaging internet claims. He said “ I was dealing with somebody who had the intent of destroying us professionally, personally and on every level. I went from a very successful surgeon to pretty much out of business.” The court sided in his favor, ordering the former patient to pay $12 million for defamation.
Matthew J. Kelly, Dr. Carlotti's attorney, says that the victory is a triumph for doctors who feel powerless when patients write untrue statements or complain about their cosmetic surgery results on the internet. On the other hand, some patients' advocacy groups worry that such rulings will prevent patients from providing truthful reviews after undergoing plastic surgery.
