MIAMI – A Seattle plastic surgeon is suing Strax Rejuvenation for allegedly posting before-and-after photographs of his patients and misrepresenting his surgical results as their own.
Aesthetic Associates Inc. P.S., doing business as The Seattle Facial Plastic Surgery Center, filed a lawsuit Jan. 22 in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida against Jade Holdings Group LLC; Jade Today; Strax Wellness Center LLC, doing business as Strax Rejuvenation; SRAI Inc., formerly known as Strax Rejuvenation and Aesthetics Institute LLC, formerly known as Strax Rejuvenation and Aesthetics Institute Inc.; Albert Auer; Jeffrey A. Davis; Phillip M. Feanny; and Michael Garnick, alleging copyright infringement.
According to the complaint, Dr. William A. Portuese, the principal of Aesthetic Associates, serves as a board-certified facial plastic surgeon treating the face and neck. Portuese claims he uses before-and-after pictures of his patients to attract new customers. The suit says Strax Rejuvenation and the other defendants knowingly used his copyrighted photographs, posted them on their websites, and misrepresented the results as their work.
Aesthetic Associates seeks a jury trial and monetary damages to be proven at trial, injunctive relief preventing the images’ unauthorized use and litigation costs. It is represented by attorneys Edward F. McHale, Brian M. Taillon and Andrew D. Lockton of McHale & Slavin P.A. in Palm Beach Gardens. Gregory F. Wesner of Lane Powell P.C. in Seattle is of counsel.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida Case number 0:16-cv-60138