Windell Davis-Boutté, a DeKalb County dermatologist who caused a bride-to-be to become permanently brain damaged while dancing and singing during a tummy tuck, has been ordered to pay $190,000 in consumer restitution after a slew of malpractice suits against her.
Attorney General Chris Carr said that Boutte’ and the practices she owns—Premiere Dermatology & Surgery, LLC, Aesthetic Laser & Boutique, Inc. and Boutté Contour Surgery & Dermatology, P.C.—have entered into a consent judgment with the State of Georgia in response to allegations that they violated the Georgia Fair Business Practices Act by falsely representing Boutté’s medical certifications and failing to provide refunds for cosmetic surgery procedures that were never performed.
Boutte’ filmed herself dancing and singing over exposed patients in the operating room, while making incisions on them, according to news reports. More than 20 such videos were found on YouTube. Ojay Liburd blamed Boutte for leaving his mother, Icilma Cornelius with permanent brain damage. The bride-to-be was weeks away from getting married when Boutte performed a tummy tuck in 2016 that left her helpless for life.
“In order to make sound health-related decisions, Georgia patients must be able to trust the information they receive from their medical providers regarding their qualifications,” said Carr. “It is incredibly dangerous and irresponsible for a medical provider to fabricate such information, and our office will hold accountable those who intentionally misrepresent their qualifications.”
Carr said that his office’s investigation revealed that Premiere Dermatology’s website and advertising materials represented that Boutté was “board certified” in “surgery,” “cosmetic surgery,” and “skin surgery,” when actually, Boutté was only certified as a “dermatologist” under the American Board of Dermatology (ABD). The ABD does not issue certifications or sub-certifications for surgery, skin surgery, or cosmetic surgery. The Attorney General also alleges that the website contained false or unsubstantiated representations concerning Boutté and her staff’s affiliations and qualifications. In addition, the Attorney General alleges that Premiere Dermatology has refused to refund payments made by consumers for unperformed surgeries after Boutté’s medical license was suspended.
Premiere Dermatology has entered into a consent judgment with the State of Georgia requiring it to pay $190,000 in consumer restitution. Additionally, the consent judgment prohibits Premiere Dermatology from again making false or misleading statements concerning Boutté and her staff’s qualifications. Should they do so in the future, they must pay $680,000 in civil penalties to the State.
The Attorney General’s Office has identified 38 consumers who are entitled to refunds under the terms of the consent judgment. These consumers prepaid for Boutté to perform a surgery, procedure, or other service, which never occurred and for which they were never refunded.
Other consumers who can demonstrate proof of payment to Premiere Dermatology & Surgery, LLC, Aesthetic Laser & Boutique, Inc., Boutté Contour Surgery & Dermatology, P.C. or Windell Davis-Boutté for one or more procedures that did not occur and that have not been fully refunded should file a claim with Carr’s office.
To receive refunds under the settlement, consumers must fill out a prescribed claim form and submit it to the Georgia Department of Law’s Consumer Protection Division, along with supporting documentation. Claim forms must be postmarked, faxed or hand-delivered no later than 5 p.m. EST on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020 in order to be considered for restitution.
Filing a Claim
Consumers can download a claim form at https://bit.ly/31SQiDO
Completed claims should be faxed to the Georgia Department of Law-Consumer Protection Division at 404-651-9018, sent via mail or overnight delivery, or hand-delivered to:
ATTN: Premiere Dermatology Restitution Program
Georgia Department of Law-Consumer Protection Division
2 Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr., Suite 356
Atlanta, GA 30334-9077
Claims must be postmarked or faxed no later than 5 p.m. EST on Jan. 18, 2020.
