Plastic surgeon faces med-mal claim alleging scar removal procedure led to disfiguring injuries

A woman is suing a Chicago plastic surgeon over claims she contracted an infection and suffered severe injuries after a procedure to remove a scar.

Jadranka Jokanic filed a medical malpractice lawsuit July 1 in the Cook County Circuit Court against Dr. Michael Byun and his practice, located on Erie Street in Chicago.

According to the complaint, Byun performed plastic surgery on Jokanic on July 10 for the removal of a scar. She claims Byun failed to terminate the procedure when he realized it was more complicated than he previously thought.

Jokanic asserts that when she experienced post-operative complications, including the exposure of her skull, Byun negligently advised her not to go to the hospital and later performed an infected tissue debridement, removed a silicone implant and closed the infected site in an office setting.

According to the lawsuit, Jokanic suffered a craniotomy and disfiguring that required further surgery, muscle transplantation, neurological procedures and hospitalization.

Jokanic is seeking more than $50,000 in damages and is being represented in the case by attorney Gilbert J. Ross of Sussman, Selig & Ross in Chicago.

Cook County Circuit Court Case No. 2014L006955.

This is a report on a civil lawsuit filed in the Cook County Circuit Court. The details in this report come from an original complaint filed by a plaintiff. Please note, a complaint represents an accusation by a private individual, not the government. It is not an indication of guilt, and it only represents one side of the story.