Arnika Thota, a minor, suffered severe medical complications leading to the amputation of her fingertip after receiving allegedly negligent medical care. Her parents, Arundeep Thota and Abhinaya Maduri, have filed a lawsuit in Harris County District Court on January 24, 2025, against Doctors Express of the Beaumont Area, PA d/b/a AFC Urgent Care and Tianxiang Zhang. The complaint alleges that the defendants' failure to adhere to standard medical practices resulted in significant harm to their daughter.
The plaintiffs detail a harrowing sequence of events beginning on March 4, 2023, when Arnika injured her finger by accidentally shutting it in a car door. They sought immediate treatment at an AFC Urgent Care facility where personnel diagnosed her with an open wound but failed to identify any fracture or foreign body through X-ray examination. Despite initial treatment with antibiotics and ointment, Arnika's condition worsened over the following weeks. On March 27, 2023, after developing a fever and subungual hematoma, she was seen again at AFC Urgent Care by physician assistant Tianxiang Zhang. It is alleged that Zhang improperly removed Arnika’s fingernail without adequately informing her parents about the procedure or its risks.
Further visits to AFC Urgent Care revealed worsening symptoms including discoloration and gangrene in Arnika's finger. By April 1, 2023, emergency room physicians noted signs of active infection and recommended consultation with a hand surgeon. However, due to what the plaintiffs claim was inadequate care by AFC staff—including improper wound dressing that impaired blood flow—Arnika ultimately required amputation surgery on June 7, 2023.
The lawsuit accuses both Zhang and AFC Urgent Care of negligence for failing to provide appropriate medical care and for not referring Arnika to a specialist sooner. The plaintiffs argue that this negligence directly led to their daughter's injuries and subsequent physical impairment. They are seeking monetary relief exceeding $250,000 for past and future medical expenses as well as compensation for pain and suffering endured by their daughter.
Representing the plaintiffs are attorneys Charles C. Dunham Biles and Jeremy R. Wilson from Biles Wilson PLLC. The case has been assigned Case ID: 2025-04935 in the Harris County District Court under Judge Patricia Jones.