A recent court filing has brought to light a serious medical negligence case involving a well-known hospital and its staff. Marie L. Flanagan-Crissler has filed a complaint in the District Court of Harris County, Texas, on October 16, 2024, against Dr. Stephen Incavo, Collin James Weaver, P.A., and Houston Methodist Hospital. The lawsuit accuses these defendants of negligence during a surgical procedure that resulted in significant harm to the plaintiff.
Marie L. Flanagan-Crissler's petition details the events leading up to her lawsuit against Dr. Stephen Incavo and others. According to the complaint, on October 17, 2022, Dr. Incavo performed a right total hip replacement surgery on Flanagan-Crissler at Houston Methodist Hospital. During this procedure, surgical drapes were applied to her lower extremity and hip region by Dr. Incavo’s team, which included Collin James Weaver as his physician assistant and other medical staff such as Emilio Jackson, R.N., Amanda Merhan, GS Lopes, and Colin McNamara, M.D.
The plaintiff alleges that she suffered a seven-centimeter skin laceration on her right lower extremity during or after the surgery when the surgical drapes were removed. This injury required repair with sutures and dressings but was not properly documented in Dr. Incavo's operative notes regarding who was responsible for applying or removing these drapes.
Following her discharge from the hospital on October 18, 2022—under instructions from PA Weaver—Flanagan-Crissler experienced complications related to an infection at the wound site. On November 1, 2022, she sought treatment at Christus Trinity Clinic in Athens, Texas for symptoms consistent with cellulitis and an open wound infection. The clinic noted multiple drainage spots on her dressing upon removal and described the wound as infected.
The lawsuit claims that both Dr. Incavo and PA Weaver failed in their duty of care by not providing timely and adequate evaluation or treatment of Flanagan-Crissler’s injuries post-surgery. Specific allegations include failure to properly supervise the removal of surgical drapes and failing to prescribe prophylactic antibiotics upon discharge—actions that allegedly contributed to her subsequent infection.
Flanagan-Crissler is seeking monetary relief exceeding $250,000 but not more than $1 million for damages including past and future medical expenses, physical pain and suffering, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, disfigurement, impairment, lost wages and earning capacity.
Representing Marie L. Flanagan-Crissler is attorney Robert L. Greening from Greening Law PC based in Dallas Texas while Judge presiding over this case remains unnamed at this stage with Case ID: 2024-71986 filed under Court: 234th Judicial District Court Harris County Texas.