ComplaintsforAdam J. Cohen, MD Eyelid and Facial Plastic Surgery & Med Spa

• Initial Complaint

  08/15/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This doctor/business ******** is breaking a law that gives patients the right to request and receive their medical records. An email was sent to this ******** to request additional documents of patient's pictures, doctor's personal notes, and any other available medical records that patients have a right to request. Doctor/business has refused to comply and instead is threatening legal actions and asking not to be contacted ever again. A second email was sent to inform the doctor that patients have a right to request all medical records in preparation for a couple of pending lawsuits against him, but doctor and business still refuses to comply.

  Business response

  08/21/2023

  This patient has made several false claims to not only the BBB, but with posts on ****** under not only their name but false names as well.  It is true that she absolutely has the right to her medical records, and she has been sent them in full TWICE.  There is no additional information to add to her files outside of the harassing emails and paperwork, such as this complaint to the BBB.  This is the first time that she has documented that she has "a couple pending lawsuits" against us that will require copies of her files, but that is something she can copy herself and forward to her representation. We have filed her complaints with our malpractice provider. 

   

  Customer response

  08/21/2023

   
  Complaint: 20470993
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  This business as usual is lying.  They have another patient who is suing them for medical malpractice, dishonest ethics and incompetencies.  She emailed multiple times to this disgusting doctor to request not only for her op report, but also for the "doctor's" personal notes and all pictures AND was lied to multiple times.  They finally submitted to the request and finally sent ALL pictures, notes, reports, etc to her.  I emailed to request the same, but this doctor is refusing to provide all of that.  I have only received the op report awhile back, but received it ONCE, not TWICE.  Again another lie by this doctor.  My attorney will get these documents from them either way.  This business in continued attempts to delay, harass, lie, deceive, talk around the facts is evil and immoral to the bone and needs to be shut down.  This doctor needs to be barred from practicing ever again.  There are many reviews on many review sites where patients have posted about his lies, greed, unethical practice, incompetencies all the way back to 2014.  Yet, he is still making moronic claims of patient harassment towards him. Customer reviews are legal, first amendment rights of consumers that these dumb f**** are trying to hide behind  Name changes and multiple email addresses aren't false claims that these dumb f**** are trying to hide behind! These continued false accusations of harassment  of consumers' legal rights is actually considered harassment and intimidation attempts.  They will ALL be added to my lawsuit.  This doctor's ******* to take ANY responsibilities for all his lies, deceits, greedy, immoral, unethical behaviors, destroying people's EYE HEALTH, APPEARANCE, AND LIVELIHOOD is beyond disgusting.
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

  Business response

  08/28/2023

  I have attached what I can from her chart which shows the dates that it was downloaded and sent as well as a copy of where it was sent to and that it was received. We will not share any HIPPA related information to show her ACTUAL medical records.  Outside of these screenshots I don't know what I can provide to show that the information has been sent. 

• Initial Complaint

  07/11/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  11/2019: Had successful blepharoplasty with a different doctor. ********************* were tight 9/2021: Online search + Dr. **********************'s office confirmed he provides upper eyelid filler injection (around $700). Dr. ********************** made multiple lies that he does not do this procedure, but instead aggressively pushed expensive $6600 Muellerectomy and fat transpositioning/grafting procedure for my only issue of upper eyelid hollowness, multiple times face-to-face and emails. I fell victim and had to trust him.10/2021: Had Muellerectomy + fat transpositioning for upper eyelid. He didn't perform fat grafting of which was a part of the $6600 payment, but never provided a refund. His many lies, incompetency, lack of experience/knowledge and failure to verbally provide info on the risk of vision damage ended up causing severe droopy eyelid in left eye and excess skin fold in right eye = eyelid ptosis.2/2022: 2nd surgery to fix damage. Additional skin was removed. Barely any visible changes.. After 2nd surgery, blurred vision occurred. During follow-up, he offered to do either filler injection in upper eyelid or fat grafting to fix problems. Caught him in his lie about not doing filler injection in upper eyelid procedure. Confronted him and he verbally said he does do it and then proceeded to change his words and say he does not do it. This is his main, unethical lie to push expensive unnecessary procedures. Also lied about providing steroid shots and sedation drugs of which he didn't have.5/2022: 3rd surgery to remove additional skin and fat grafting. Again, he didn't verbally provide info of risk of eyesight damage. I told him of my eyesight damage after 2nd surgery and he completely ignored me. After 3rd surgery, worsening of blurred vision, now overexposed waterline, eyelids don't shut completely during sleep, and assymetrical eye size and shape. Dry eyes, headaches, anxiety, depression, lack of confidence are all daily common problems for me now.

  Business response

  07/18/2022

  To Whom it May ************************************************************ name is ******************************* and I am the *** of the practice for **************** Cohen, and we received a copy of a complaint from a patient.  I would like to address the complaints as specifically as I can and I welcome a response to provide further clarification if it is warranted.

   

  The complaint stated that in an online search we advertise that we do upper eyelid filler injections for $700.  Not only do we not provide upper eyelid filler injections, but rather fat transfers and repositioning, and we have no pricing posted or advertised on any platform including our practice website. The procedure that she says she was charged for and didnt have was not a fat transfer but a fat repositioning which she did have during her first procedure.

   

  The patient in the complaint also stated that she fell victim and had to trust him, but willingly not only had her initial procedure which was elective, but then continued to have additional treatments going forward.  We have multiple emails, photos and visits documented to show that not only did she have a significant improvement to her eyelids, both functionally and cosmetically, but on nearly every follow up visit the doctor discussed with her what were realistic expectations of further surgery were and she not only insisted on additional procedures but willingly consented and was never charged an additional dollar for any of them.

   

  Her complaints of visual changes have also been documented, not ignored as she describes, and she was diagnosed as having some dry eye issues by another physician entirely.  Her residual symptoms that she describes as anxiety and depression (among others) can also be seen as long standing documented issues which she herself listed on her new patient intake form. Lastly, she has failed to comply with any and all follow up visits.

   

  We have worked with her to provide the best possible procedures and outcomes, while educating her on ALL her options.

   

  We will not be offering her a refund of any kind, but appreciate you taking all sides of the complaint seriously. 

   

  Again, if there is any additional information I can provide please do not hesitate to reach me at the number below or this email directly.

   

  Thank you,

   

  ******

   

   

  ************************************************
  Chief Operating Officer

  **** J Cohen, MD

  Eyelid and Facial Plastic Surgery

  ************

   

  

  Customer response

  07/20/2022

   
  Complaint: 17548109
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  1. The business has misunderstood the incorrect procedure that I stated in my complaint.  $6600 was paid for a Muellerectomy, fat transfer and fat repositioning/transpositioning.  During the first surgery, Dr. ********************** would not perform the fat transfer as I had requested and had paid for.  He only performed the fat repositioning/transpositioning. But after this first surgery, I have never been reimbursed for the fat transfer procedure that was not done. This business' response to this complaint has failed to acknowledge the unethical practice that they did NOT provide a refund for a service I did not receive which is the fat transfer procedure.  I am attaching the email documentation to show that Dr. ********************** stated that the fat transfer only would cost $3100.  This is directly from his email "Grafting alone would be $3100."  I am attaching a copy of the email trails to prove this point.

  2. My complaint does not indicate that I directly said this business charges $700 for upper eyelid filler injection.  The $700 was meant as my own estimate for upper eyelid fillers that I would probably had to pay.  This number was meant to be used as a comparison to the $6600 that Dr. ********************** instead charged me for the procedures he believed were what I needed.  $6600 is a SIGNIFICANT difference to $700. In hindsight, I only needed a filler injection to resolve my problem that I originally sought professional advice for.  This is also confirmed by 2 other board-certified eye doctors that I sought advice from recently for these residual problems caused by Dr. **********************'s incompetence.

  3. The problem is not that I consented to the procedures that Dr. ********************** pushed. The problem is that I did not need any of those 3 procedures to resolve my one and only problem of hollowness in the upper eyelid area.  As a regular patient, we are reliant on doctor's professional advice. And as a professional medical ******* Dr. ********************** is ethically responsible for providing honest advice and services. But instead he pushed procedures, that in hindsight I didn't need, multiple times.  These are all unethical business practice and dishonesty.

  4. The accusation that I have failed to comply with any and all follow-*** with Dr. ********************** are objectively FALSE.  As the medical charts from this business will show, I have followed up on EVERY appointment made.  During the 2nd follow-up after the 3rd and last surgery, I had verbally informed Dr. ********************** that I will not be returning for any of his service.  I also sent an email documenting that I will not be returning for additional services.  After 3 surgeries that did not reverse the problems he created and a lack of trust towards Dr. **********************, a business can not seriously think that any patient would continue seeking service from them.

  5. This business has also failed to acknowledge that Dr. ********************** has objectively damaged my eye sight, my ptosis eyelids that were caused by his procedures, and assymetrical size and shape of my eyes.  During the first of the follow-up visit after the 3rd surgery, I had for the second time informed him that my eyesight had been damaged.  He did an eye test on me and came up with the result that my eyesight had worsen. I am attaching another picture taken today 7/19/22 to clearly show that the physical damage done to the eyelids is still apparent. And I can provide the medical documentation and eye test results on the damages to my eyes and eyesight from one of the eye doctors I recently sought advice from. 

  6. I have all original email communication trails that provide evidence to support all of my complaints.

  In conclusion, this business and doctor is not taking responsibilities for their unethical behavior and business practice. They failed to acknowledge any of the problems that were caused by them for which documentations are available.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  Darasay Raksinh

  Business response

  08/09/2022

  This is in response to the patient complaint sent to us, and this will be our last response to her complaint.  I will number them as she did in her complaint to keep the continuity of the message.

   

  1 She was charged and paid for the procedure she was given.  She was not given nor charged for fat grafting.  She had a fat transfer, which he discussed would be harvested from her body, and it was.  He was able to harvest the amount of fat that he needed from within her eyelids/eyesocket and did not need to transfer from her belly.  The fee she paid was for bilateral ptosis repair and fat TRANSFER.  At that time, which is well documented in her chart, it was explained that the ptosis surgery would correct the muscle imbalance but that the excess skin on her eyelids would remain.  If she wanted the skin removed she would have an additional charge which she declined.

   

  2. Her complaint DOES state that she was quoted $700 and that we in fact advertised that amount (none of which we ever did) which she is now changing her story about.  I am frankly not interested in what she believes that the procedure should cost or how different the actual cost is from what we charge.  If she did not want the procedure there was absolutely no obligation to have surgery.  She has only had elective procedures and has never been charged a single dollar more for any additional work that was done. 

   

  3. Her consent is her obligation and her responsibility.  We have never pressured or coerced a single patient to have any procedure of any kind.  Medically indicated or elective. We take accusations like that very seriously.  Her insinuation of unethical medical practices is something that we are consulting an attorney to review for claims of slander and libel. 

   

  4. She had her first surgery for ptosis repair and fat transfer with a documented understanding that she would still have excess skin on her upper eyelids without having it removed at the time.  She understood and proceeded with the surgery.  Her second procedure which was at no charge to her was to remove the excess skin that she said she understood would still remain and she was NOT CHARGED AT ALL for the additional surgery.  The third surgery she had, which was also documented that we discussed realistic expectation with her about and AGAIN she chose to move forward, was for even more skin and an additional fat transfer. 

   

  5. She had not had an acknowledgement of Dr. ********************** objectively damaging her eye because absolutely nothing was done wrong.  Her unhappiness with a cosmetic outcome is grossly different than a medical competency issue or damage.  To add to that there was never anything at all done to her EYES.  All of her treatments and surgeries were to her eyelids and her eyeball was never touched. 

   

  6. We too have documentation and communications to support all of our responses.  She has not been left in the cold or had a failure to receive responses, which is why she has had an additional TWO complimentary surgeries.

   

  I look forward to hearing that this issue is closed.

   

  Thank you,

   

  *******************************

   

  ************************************************
  Chief Operating Officer

  **** J **********************, MD

  Eyelid and Facial Plastic Surgery

  ************

   

  

  Customer response

  08/10/2022

   
  Complaint: 17548109
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  It is obvious that this COO is being dishonest and talking around the issues instead of addressing the facts.  She is also lying and trying to deceive. The facts are ALL in my email exchange with Dr. ********************** that this business has a trail of. I can only attach 5 screenshots here, but I have 38 screen prints of the email exchanges with ALL the evidences that prove every single one of my accusation. I will be talking to my dad's lawyers.  I suggest you go through all that email trail and have some integrity to admit to the permanent damages that Dr. ********************** has caused me due to his incompetence, lies, and greed. He continues to destroy other people's lives and you are a part of it. You know this is true just by reading all the online reviews from multiple business websites.

  You people are total scumbags and your God will deal with your lies, greed, and lack of ethics and morals. Hope you all meet him soon.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Darasay Raksinh

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩