Our firm filed a lawsuit against plastic surgeon Dr. Dare Ajibade after a liposuction at Sono Bello in San Antonio left a 27-year-old mother of three with a severe, permanent brain injury. Dr. Ajibade and Sono Bello plastic surgery practice caused catastrophic, preventable harm to our client.
Here, our San Antonio plastic surgery malpractice lawyers discuss the case and how to seek justice and compensation if you were harmed during or after a cosmetic surgery performed by Dr. Dare Ajibade.
Call 210-366-4949 for a free consultation.
The Dare Ajibade Lawsuit We Filed: What Happened to Our Client
We represent Wendy Patterson and Mary Jane Maldonado, who bring this case as next friends of Junis Maldonado. In our petition, filed in the 45th Judicial District Court of Bexar County, we allege that an elective liposuction became a catastrophe because of choices made before and during surgery.
Our client was 27 years old and a mother of three when she presented to a San Antonio Sono Bello clinic on May 14, 2026, for a TriSculpt liposuction. Dr. Dare Ajibade performed her pre-operative evaluation and the procedure itself, and what should have been routine turned into a catastrophic surgical error during a San Antonio liposuction.
Before surgery, she was given a combination of central nervous system depressants with overlapping sedative and blood-pressure-lowering effects. These were administered together, without the heightened monitoring that a regimen of multiple sedating drugs demands.
During the liposuction procedure, her blood pressure collapsed to a level consistent with shock, and despite this, the tumescent infiltration of lidocaine continued, reaching roughly 3,750 mg. She then suffered multiple seizures and cardiopulmonary arrest, required resuscitation, and was rushed to a hospital.
The result is devastating. The loss of oxygen during that arrest caused a severe hypoxic-ischemic brain injury. Our client now depends on a tracheostomy and a feeding tube and faces permanent impairment. The lawsuit against Dr. Dare Ajibade seeks justice and compensation for the lifetime of care she will need.
“The purpose of Janicek Law is to give a voice to those who have been wronged or injured, and that is exactly why we love jury trials so much. It’s time for truth-telling and justice-making.” – Beth Janicek
| Date | What our petition discusses |
| May 14, 2026 | Our client presents to a San Antonio Sono Bello for a TriSculpt liposuction; Dr. Ajibade performs the pre-op evaluation and procedure |
| Pre-op | Multiple sedating medications administered together without heightened monitoring |
| Intra-op | Blood pressure collapses to a level consistent with shock; infiltration continues; roughly 3,750 mg of lidocaine |
| Post-infiltration | Multiple seizures and cardiopulmonary arrest; resuscitation required |
| Transfer | Emergent transfer to a hospital for life-saving care |
| Outcome | Severe hypoxic-ischemic brain injury; tracheostomy and feeding tube; permanent impairment |
How our Medical Expert Explains the Injury Happened: Lidocaine Toxicity
At the center of this Dare Ajibade lawsuit is local anesthetic systemic toxicity, a recognized and potentially fatal complication that can follow high exposure to drugs like lidocaine. Lidocaine is the local anesthetic used in tumescent liposuction, diluted in fluid and infiltrated into the treatment area.
When too much lidocaine reaches the bloodstream, it can affect the brain and the heart. At toxic levels, the anesthetic can trigger seizures and, in severe cases, cardiovascular emergencies. When the heart stops, the brain loses oxygen within minutes, and that deprivation is what causes hypoxic-ischemic injury.
This is exactly the chain that unfolded here, and that our client’s injuries were preventable. Our case focuses on timing: the drop in blood pressure was a clear warning to stop, and continuing to infiltrate lidocaine into a patient already in shock is what turned a complication into an anesthesia injury during a procedure.
Why Our Dare Ajibade Lawsuit Also Names Sono Bello
Our case is not only about one surgeon’s choices during one procedure. It is also about the clinic that put him in the operating room. The Sono Bello entities were responsible for supervising and monitoring Dr. Ajibade, which Texas law treats as corporate negligence by a health care facility.
The clinic knew or should have known that Dr. Ajibade had been named in prior malpractice suits and was the subject of a public Texas Medical Board remedial plan finding that he failed to meet the standard of care in a liposuction case, the same type of cosmetic procedure our client underwent. They let him keep operating anyway.
Timing matters in this part of our client’s brain injury case. The board action and several prior matters were public before the May 2026 procedure. Despite this, Sono Bello continued to credential and rely on Dr. Ajibade without adding the oversight, monitoring, or safeguards that would have protected our client.
The Dare Ajibade Lawsuit History: Prior Claims and a Board Action
Our lawsuit against Dare Ajibade isn’t the only legal matter involving the surgeon. The broader legal action history is a matter of public court and board records. To be clear, the other pending lawsuits reflect allegations that remain to be proven. The Texas Medical Board action was a non-disciplinary remedial plan, not formal discipline.
The most serious prior matter is a medical malpractice wrongful death lawsuit filed in Virginia. The estate of a 59-year-old woman alleges she died days after a lengthy liposuction and fat-transfer procedure at an AirSculpt center, and that excessive lidocaine and a failure to recognize anesthetic toxicity contributed to her death.
In Texas, public court records reflect additional patient-injury lawsuits in Harris County connected to Dr. Ajibade and DVA Plastic Surgery, alleging serious cosmetic-surgery complications. You can review one of the pending Harris County cases against Ajibade on the public docket. Each reflects that patient’s allegations.
Separately, the Texas Medical Board entered a remedial plan in December 2025. The board found Dr. Ajibade failed to meet the standard of care in a liposuction case because the procedure lasted an excessive duration and Dr. Ajibade used the equipment in a way that did not conform to the medical standard in Texas.
| Matter (public record) | Court/Jurisdiction | Year filed | Core allegation (as pleaded) | Status |
| Easley | Fairfax County, VA | 2025 | Wrongful death after liposuction; alleged excessive lidocaine and failure to recognize toxicity | Pending (allegations) |
| DVA Plastic Surgery matters | Harris County, TX | 2025 to 2026 | Serious complications from cosmetic procedures | Pending (allegations) |
| Texas Medical Board | Texas Medical Board | Dec 2025 | Standard-of-care finding on a prolonged liposuction | Non-disciplinary remedial plan |
Pending lawsuits reflect allegations only and are not findings of liability. A remedial plan is non-disciplinary.
Your Rights After Being Injured By a Cosmetic Surgery Performed by Dr. Dare Ajibade or Other Sono Bello Surgeons
These are healthcare liability claims, governed by Texas medical liability law, Chapter 74. In general, you have two years from the date of the negligence or injury to file, though limited exceptions apply, including for incapacitated patients. Because these deadlines are strict, acting early matters.
Our firm brings Texas medical malpractice claims for patients and families facing situations like this. When we’re able to prove gross negligence, cases can also seek exemplary, or punitive, damages, which our petition pleads. The types of financial compensation a seriously injured patient or grieving family may pursue include:
- Past and future medical care and rehabilitation costs
- Lost wages and diminished earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Physical impairment, scarring, and disfigurement
- Punitive damages for cases involving gross negligence
Not all surgical complications support a malpractice claim, however. Common factors that typically point to a case worth reviewing include the following:
- A patient seriously harmed or killed after a cosmetic procedure
- Injuries tied to medication, anesthesia, or monitoring failures
- Medical care that fell below the accepted standard
- A surgeon whose training, credentials, or history raise questions
- A claim brought within the Texas filing deadline
How Our Firm Can Help
A sudden, catastrophic outcome from a cosmetic procedure is overwhelming. Affected families are often frightened and unsure of their next steps. Attorney Beth Janicek and her team have represented injured patients and families across Texas for more than 30 years. The law firm handles cases on a contingency fee basis. This means you don’t pay anything unless you recover compensation.
If you believe a procedure at Sono Bello or a surgery by Dr. Ajibade caused serious harm, a few steps help protect a potential claim:
- Get the patient’s complete medical and surgical records, including the operative and anesthesia notes
- Write down the timeline of the procedure and what you were told before and after
- Keep all pre-operative paperwork, consent forms, and medication instructions
- Note the surgeon and clinic names and any staff involved
- Preserve photos, discharge papers, and hospital transfer records
- Contact a medical malpractice attorney before the two-year deadline
When you are ready, request a free, confidential case review or call 210-366-4949. The initial consultation is free.
Dare Ajibade Lawsuit FAQ
What is the Dare Ajibade lawsuit about?
Our firm filed a lawsuit against Dr. Dare Ajibade in Bexar County on behalf of a 27-year-old San Antonio mother left with a severe brain injury after a liposuction at a Sono Bello facility. Dr. Dare Ajibade and Sono Bello caused catastrophic, preventable harm, and we are seeking accountability and lifetime care.
Who is plastic surgeon Dr. Dare Ajibade?
Dr. Dare Ajibade is a Texas-licensed physician named in our case and in several other patient-injury claims. His litigation history and a public Texas Medical Board remedial plan are matters of public record. Other pending lawsuits are allegations, not proven findings.
Has Dr. Ajibade faced other lawsuits or disciplinary actions?
Public records reflect prior medical malpractice lawsuits, including a Virginia wrongful death case, and a December 2025 Texas Medical Board remedial plan. However, it’s important to understand:
- Pending lawsuits are allegations, not proven findings
- A remedial plan is non-disciplinary, not formal discipline
- Each matter is distinct and stands on its own facts
How do I file a Sono Bello claim or lawsuit against Dr. Ajibade in Texas?
Start by speaking to a medical malpractice attorney quickly. Texas generally allows two years to file, and evidence moves fast. We can review the records, work with medical experts, and determine whether you have a valid claim involving Dr. Ajibade or Sono Bello.
What does it cost to hire Janicek Law?
Nothing upfront. We handle medical malpractice cases on a contingency fee, so you pay only if we recover for you. To discuss your situation at no cost, call 210-366-4949 for a free consultation.
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