This WebClinic was recorded live on November 11, 2026, and is approximately 60 minutes.

Topic:  When Cosmetic Surgery Becomes a Lawsuit: Lessons from Both Sides of the Courtroom
Speakers: Alton E. Ingram, MD, JD, FAACS and Wilbur Hah, MD, FAACS

What turns an unfavorable cosmetic surgery outcome into a malpractice claim—and what makes a case defensible? Join Dr. Ingram and Dr. Hah for a practical discussion informed by their experience in cosmetic surgery, organizational leadership, and medical litigation. Dr. Ingram brings the perspective of a surgeon with a legal background who headed medical malpractice and medical device liability teams at a plaintiff’s law firm. Dr. Hah draws on extensive experience as an expert witness in plaintiff and defense cases, as well as consulting in nationally prominent criminal prosecutions. Together, Dr. Ingram and Dr. Hah will explore how clinical decisions, patient expectations, informed consent, documentation, and complication management shape the evaluation of a case—and how lessons from the courtroom can improve patient care.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of the activity, the learner should be able to:

1. Distinguish a recognized surgical complication or patient dissatisfaction from medical negligence by identifying the roles of standard of care, breach, causation, and damages.

2. Analyze how patient selection, informed consent, documentation, and the response to complications influence expert assessment and the defensibility of cosmetic surgical care.

3. Apply communication, documentation, and complication-management strategies that promote patient safety and reduce malpractice exposure.

Target Audience

Practitioners in the field of cosmetic surgery including, but not limited to, dermatology, general surgery, and plastic/reconstructive surgery.

Registration Required

Instructions for accessing the webinar will be provided immediately upon registration.

Registration Fees

• $40 - AACS Member (Resident)*
• $40 - AACS Member (Training Fellow)*
• $40 - AACS Member (Physician or Allied Health)
• $80 - Non-Member Practitioner

*Residents and training fellows - After adding the course to your cart, use the coupon code in your renewal confirmation letter to bring the price to $0. If you need assistance, please email AACS headquarters.

CME Credit

This is a non-CME course

About the Speakers

Wilbur Hah, MD, FAACS is a triple board-certified facial and body cosmetic surgeon with more than 30 years of clinical experience. He is a past President of the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, a longtime oral board examiner, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery. His contributions to cosmetic surgical education include lecturing, live surgical instruction, and service as a course co-director for advanced facelift training. He is also Co-Editor of The Consult and a founding participant in the Cosmetic Surgery Patient Safety Certification initiative.

Dr. Hah received the AACS 2026 Golden Scalpel Award, recognizing outstanding clinical and educational contributions to cosmetic surgery. He has extensive experience as an expert witness for both plaintiffs and defendants in civil litigation and has served as a consultant in numerous nationally prominent criminal prosecutions. He brings a seasoned perspective on medical evidence, expert credibility, and the lessons surgical practices can draw from litigation.

Alton E. Ingram, MD, JD, FAACS is a Nashville cosmetic surgeon certified by the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery and the American Board of Facial Cosmetic Surgery. He serves as a Trustee and Fellow of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery and previously served two terms as a Trustee of the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery. His ABCS service has included oral board examination, written examination development and validation, and leadership in patient safety and judicial affairs. He co-founded the Cosmetic Surgery Patient Safety Campaign and helped develop the BBL Safety Certification Examination.

Dr. Ingram is Editor of The Consult, Patient Safety Editor of the American Journal of Cosmetic Surgery, and Co-Chair of the 2027 AACS Annual Scientific Meeting. He has a law degree from U C Berkeley and for five years worked at a plaintiff’s law firm in San Francisco, where he headed the medical malpractice and medical device liability teams. His medical and legal experience provides a practical perspective on clinical accountability, expert testimony, and malpractice prevention.