Complaint Review: Joshua Halpern - Tampa Florida

 I feel compelled to write this after reading what happened to two others on this site.

I believe them completely, because Dr. Halpern caused me horrible damage to my face.

In 2004, when I was only 46, I went to Dr. Halpern because I felt a little "saggy." He immediately pushed a "mid-face lift." Hey, patients believe doctors are working in their best interests. NOT. Dr. Halpern is about the money, and couldn't care less what happens to you.

I never needed a "mid-face lift." I later learned all I needed was some injectable filler because I was losing facial fat. Easy enough to remedy, also, and a lot less cost.

But Halpern not only did this surgery that was never needed, he cut my muscles in my cheeks which caused them to rapidly atrophy. I looked like hell and not even a year had passed. I couldn't figure out what was wrong. Admit what he did? Ha. I went to another doctor in another city, and he said well, Dr. Halpern cut your muscles..." With more nudging, I got more information that 1) nobody in his/her right mind does a "mid face" lift because of that danger, so he did an outmoded outdated surgery and then did it badly, cutting muscles that CAUSED ATROPHY. It is devastating.

I never did pursue a lawsuit against Halpern, though I wish I had. But what another person wrote is true:  lawyers won't take a case if the doctor doesn't have enough malpractice insurance.  IT IS TRUE IT IS TRUE. Litigating a malpractice case is expensive. If there' s not enough or no insurance to cover it, then you are out of luck. And there are the unethical, greedy, mercenary doctors who know that and just don't care, they'll recommend and do all sorts of ridiculous things if they think they can make a buck.
 
Under the guise of "tort reform" laws changed in Florida to the detriment of the patient. It has essentially, let doctors get away with murder. They no longer have to carry malpractice insurance, they don't have to worry about how much pain and suffering they cause and they've got fool proof protection: don't carry malpractice insurance and that is almost a guarantee they won't be sued.

I hope everyone thinking of going to Dr. Halpern reads these from so far, three of us. Dr. Halpern's big thing is "no incision" surgery, endoscopic or small incision surgery. He caused a scar by my eye and when I mentioned it he said oh it would go away in a year. It's been what, almost ten years and the scar is still there. That's where he cut my cheek muscles. To do that and not think you are going to cause terrible harm is the sign of a terrible doctor.

Doctors like Halpern lure people in with photos of people who have had this or that procedure, but they are very sleazy in not fully informing people of what can go wrong or that they've never done a procedure before, even when you think you have asked every question, you still may not get a straight answer. Another misleading thing: his own "surgery suite" -- that is nothing more than a place where he can cut away and nobody but his staff sees his screw ups. They all work for him, unlike nurses who work for the facility and maybe, just maybe have some concern for patients who are hurt. This personal surgical suite is marketed as your privacy, comfort etc. but it's to help him work in the dark where nobody witnesses his mistakes on people.  I hope he never hurts another person but if so, I hope that person will and can sue.