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Lawsuit says U of M Physicians left 6-year-old's face scarred

The mother filed a lawsuit saying that her daughter now has "serious and permanent scarring."
Credit: Hennepin County District Court
This image is part of a lawsuit filed in Hennepin County District Court, alleging medical negligence by a U of M Physicians doctor.

MINNEAPOLIS — A mother is suing the U of M physician she says caused scarring on her 6-year-old daughter's face with a laser procedure.

The lawsuit, filed by Kasey Bernu in Hennepin County District Court on Wednesday, names Dr. Kristen Hook and U of M Physicians. Bernu is accusing both of medical negligence and negligent nondisclosure, asking for a $50,000 judgment.

The mother says that her 6-year-old daughter went to Dr. Hook to have a "port wine stain" on her face treated with a pulsed-dye laser. Hook had begun treating the child months after she was born in 2011. 

After more than 25 treatments, the lawsuit states that Hook recommended treatment with an ND-Yag laser. The lawsuit alleges that Hook did not tell Bernu that this laser was more powerful and posed "significant danger to patients, particularly when such lasers are used by doctors inexperienced with ND-YAG lasers."

Bernu's suit says that Hook had never treated a minor patient with an ND-Yag laser.

According to Bernu, Hook performed two "test spots" with the ND-Yag laser on Oct. 25, 2017, and then did a full treatment on Dec. 13 of the same year. The lawsuit accuses Hook of more than doubling the amount of energy that was used in the test, when she did the full treatment.

Bernu says shortly after, the 6-year-old developed "serious injury and resulting scabbing." She says Hook did not see them for a follow-up until Jan. 3, 2018, and before that appointment, "endorsed improper wound care" by phone.

Her daughter now has "serious and permanent scarring," Bernu says. She's asking for a judgment in excess of $50,000 for the medical expenses, "emotional distress, pain, suffering, humiliation, embarrassment," and a loss of future earnings.

Attorney Ryan Ellis released the following statement on behalf of Dr. Kristen Hook and University of Minnesota Physicians:

“We sympathize with this patient and her family. Dr. Hook and University of Minnesota Physicians fully stand-by and support the medical care and treatment provided to this patient and plan to defend this case. Due to patient privacy and pending litigation we are unable to provide further comment.”

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