Stephen E. Rach (Partner) Obtains Defense Verdict in Medical Malpratice Action

Congratulations to KWMC’s partner Stephen E. Rach II and associate Michael Grazio for obtaining a defense verdict on behalf of a plastic surgeon in the Supreme Court, Nassau County on February 17, 2026, following a three-week jury trial. Plaintiff alleged that the defendant plastic surgeon deviated from accepted standards of care by performing liposuction on the wrong areas of her body. Plaintiff claimed that the procedure left her with permanent cosmetic deformities, neurological complaints, and significant emotional distress. At trial, the defense established that the liposuction was performed to the precise anatomical areas discussed with and consented to by the patient pre-operatively. The evidence further demonstrated that the plaintiff’s alleged cosmetic deformities and complaints were attributable to both prior and subsequent cosmetic procedures, and were not caused by the care rendered by the defendant. The jury found there were no departures from the standard of care and returned a verdict in favor of the defense.