Dr. Renee Burke, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Barrington, Illinois, has appeared in two notable lawsuits: a 2016 class action she filed against medical device maker Candela Corporation over its UltraShape Power body-contouring system, and a 2024 wrongful death case in which she and her practice were named as defendants in Cook County Circuit Court. The Renee Burke lawsuit history spans both roles, plaintiff and defendant, in matters that remain without a publicly reported final outcome.
The Class Action Against Candela Corporation
On December 2, 2016, Burke filed a class action in Cook County Circuit Court against Candela Corporation, a Massachusetts-based manufacturer, over its UltraShape Power ultrasound fat-reduction device. The complaint alleged violations of Illinois consumer fraud law based on false advertising.1Plastic Surgery Practice. Barrington Plastic Surgeon Brings False Advertising Class Action vs. Makers of UltraShape System
Burke began using the device on patients in May 2015. According to the complaint, Candela’s marketing told patients they would “lose two dress sizes in just three treatments” and cited clinical studies showing an average reduction of 3.3 to 6.3 centimeters. Burke alleged those claims were untrue and that her patients did not achieve the promised results.1Plastic Surgery Practice. Barrington Plastic Surgeon Brings False Advertising Class Action vs. Makers of UltraShape System
The case moved to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, where Judge John Robert Blakey declined to dismiss the class allegations in May 2017 and gave the parties a month to develop the record on where the case belonged.2Law360. Candela Can’t Nix Surgeon’s Suit Over Weight Reduction Tool Candela pointed to a forum selection clause in its contract with Burke that required suit in Massachusetts. On March 9, 2018, Judge Blakey granted the motion to transfer. The case was docketed in the District of Massachusetts on June 14, 2018, as case number 1:18-cv-11244, and the Illinois case closed.3PlainSite. Renee Burke, MD, P.C. v. Candela Corporation The final outcome after transfer is not reflected in the available records.
The 2024 Wrongful Death Case Filed Against Burke
In 2024, Paul Henmueller and Lori Henmueller filed suit in Cook County Circuit Court under case number 2024-L-006617. The named defendants include Barrington Outpatient LLC, Renee Burke MD, Aesthetic & Plastic Surgery, Renee Burke individually, Samantha Cardenas, and Casey Shupe.4Trellis.law. Paul Henmueller, Lori Henmueller vs. Barrington Outpatient LLC, Renee Burke MD, et al.
An obituary for Lori Suzanne Henmueller lists a birth date of March 2, 1968, and a death date of September 19, 2023, at age 55.5Legacy.com. Lori Suzanne Henmueller Obituary The case caption names both Paul and Lori Henmueller as plaintiffs. Publicly available court records do not specify the precise claims or identify the decedent in what appears to be a wrongful death action, and no outcome has been reported as of the most recent available information.
Who Dr. Renee Burke Is
Burke received her M.D. from Wayne State University School of Medicine in 2002, completed a general surgery internship and residency at Emory University Hospital, and finished a plastic surgery residency at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She has been certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery since 2009 and has held an active Illinois medical license since 2011.6U.S. News & World Report. Dr. Renee Burke She founded and runs Aesthetic & Plastic Surgery of Barrington in South Barrington, Illinois, with an affiliated surgical facility, Barrington Outpatient LLC.7Quintessential Barrington. It’s a Wonderful and Beautiful Life Both entities are named in the 2024 Henmueller filing.