Edmonton man faces $2.5M lawsuit for posing as doctor

Clients say procedures left them disfigured

An Edmonton businessman is being sued for more than $2.5 million by former clients who claim he misrepresented himself as a doctor and performed cosmetic treatments that left their skin damaged and disfigured.

A statement of claim alleges Sukhdave Seehra “negligently performed cosmetic skin-care procedures” between June 2010 and December 2011 when he failed to anesthetize or properly prepare the clients’ skin before using lasers or other implements to treat conditions.

According to the court documents, the clients were left with a variety of symptoms such as scabbing and swelling after the “extremely painful” procedures. Several clients allege the treatments left them with burns so severe that they suffer from sensitivity to heat and sunlight.

Many of the clients say they were left disfigured by the treatment.

Eight former clients filed the lawsuit against Seehra and the Ultra Medic Laser Skin Studio at the Court of Queen’s Bench in Edmonton on June 6. The province of Alberta has sued for $100,000 to cover the clients’ medical costs.

The court documents state that Raymond Blanchard went to see Seehra about Botox and Derma Filler injections for his wrinkles and sagging skin, but when he left the treatment room, “his face was leaking blood.”

Seehra told clients their symptoms were normal. Also, he did not provide them advice on facial care after the treatments, which caused further damage, according to the statement of claim.

The clients allege Seehra and his staff led them to believe he was a medical doctor trained to perform cosmetic skin procedures. The statement of claim alleges that the businessman and his staff referred to him as “doctor.”

Seehra was ordered by the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench in July 2011 not to represent, advertise or imply that he is a regulated member of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta, and not to refer to himself as “doctor” or “Dr.”

According to the statement of claim “Seehra has failed to improve or discontinue his cosmetic skin procedures.”

The statement of claim calls see hra’s behaviour “high-handed and deceitful” and claims he demonstrated a “blatant disregard for public safety.”

Statements of claim contain allegations not proven in court.