Lawsuits accuse Dr. Dare Ajibade of negligence after serious complications from cosmetic procedures, while he has denied wrongdoing in court.
HOUSTON — A Houston plastic surgeon is facing four medical malpractice lawsuits filed within about one year, according to an investigation by ABC13. The cases involve patients who underwent liposuction and other cosmetic procedures performed by Dr. Dare Ajibade. The lawsuits include claims involving a patient who died, another who suffered a serious brain injury and patients who say they were left with permanent scars. The allegations have not been proven in court.
One case involves Susan Easley, 59, who underwent liposuction and fat transfer at a clinic in Virginia in May 2024. Four days later, her son found her dead in a temporary apartment in Washington, D.C. The medical examiner ruled that she died from sudden cardiac death connected to heart disease after the cosmetic procedure. Easley had worked for the U.S. Agency for International Development for many years.
Easley’s family filed a lawsuit accusing Ajibade and the clinic of giving her too much lidocaine, a local anesthetic used to control pain. The lawsuit also says her operation lasted about six and a half hours and claims she was released too soon. According to court filings reviewed by ABC13 and KFF Health News, Easley later called the clinic to report nausea and vomiting. The family says she was not told to seek emergency care. Ajibade has denied that he performed negligent surgery and has generally denied the claims in that lawsuit.
Another case involves 27-year-old Junis Maldonado. Her family filed a lawsuit in June after she underwent a liposuction procedure. The suit says Maldonado suffered seizures and cardiopulmonary arrest during the operation and had to be revived. Her lawyers say a lack of oxygen caused a serious brain injury and that she now uses a breathing tube and feeding tube. A spokesperson representing Ajibade and the clinic said they could not discuss the pending case but said patient safety is their highest priority.
Rosa Caldera, who traveled from Fort Worth to Houston for cosmetic surgery, has also sued Ajibade. Caldera said that she paid about $15,000 for liposuction in 2024. Her lawsuit says the procedure lasted about 10 hours. Caldera was taken by ambulance from the clinic to a hospital and was admitted to intensive care. She later needed skin-graft surgery for what her lawsuit describes as a third-degree burn on her stomach.
A separate patient, 49-year-old Adebola Britt, suffered cardiac arrest in the recovery room after undergoing an abdominoplasty and liposuction at DVA Plastic Surgery in Houston in November 2025, according to ABC13. She died five days later. The Harris County medical examiner listed her cause of death as sudden death following the procedures. Britt’s family has hired an attorney, but ABC13 reported that the family had not filed a malpractice lawsuit as of Tuesday.
The Texas Medical Board has also taken corrective action involving Ajibade. Official board minutes show that the board approved a remedial plan for him in December 2025. ABC13 reported that the action involved a liposuction procedure that the board found did not meet the standard of care. Under Texas Medical Board rules, a remedial plan is considered a corrective, non-disciplinary action, rather than formal discipline.
The lawsuits come as cosmetic surgery has become a large national business. A 2025 investigation by KFF Health News reviewed more than 100 malpractice cases involving multistate cosmetic surgery companies. Many involved claims that serious complications were not recognized or treated quickly enough after surgery. KFF noted that lawsuits alone do not prove that a doctor provided poor care, and several companies and surgeons involved in those cases have denied negligence.
Medical experts say follow-up care is an important part of cosmetic surgery. Dr. Heather Faulkner, a plastic surgeon and associate professor at Emory University School of Medicine, told KFF Health News that surgeons need to quickly recognize warning signs after an operation. Other specialists have warned that people recovering in hotels or private recovery homes should understand what medical care will be available if something goes wrong.
Patients trying to research a doctor may also find that malpractice information is difficult to locate. The Texas Medical Board says people who want to know whether a doctor has been sued may need to contact the court clerk in the county where the doctor practices. Physician profiles generally report malpractice jury awards, but they do not provide a complete list of every lawsuit that has been filed.
Texas News Express reached to Dare Ajibade and DVA Plastic Surgery for an explanation or comment, however, both refused to speak.
