KINGWOOD – The man is suing Bruceton Wellness Center and a chiropractor after he claims they are responsible for his wife’s death.
Steven C. Lint, D.C., is the chiropractor named in the lawsuit.
Lint provided chiropractic services to Brittany Ann Thomas from January 2014 through June 2014 and again in March 2016, according to a complaint filed Jan. 4 in Preston Circuit Court.
Willis G. Thomas claims Lint deviated from the standard of care during Brittany Thomas’ 2014 visits, as he had not properly taken a medical history and had failed to perform an adequate physical examination.
When Brittany Thomas, 32, returned on March 7, and again on March 11, Lint deviated from the appropriate standard of care again by failing to take a detailed history and by failing to perform an exhaustive physical examination prior to performing cervical manipulation on Brittany Thomas, according to the suit.
Willis Thomas claims Lint failed to auscultate Brittany Thomas’ neck to evaluate for vascular anomalies, failed to check her cranial nerves and failed to properly note the range of motion in her neck.
During the March 11 cervical manipulation, Lint caused both of Brittany Thomas’ vertebral arteries to become dissected, causing a significant stroke and, ultimately, her death, according to the suit.
Willis Thomas claims Brittany Thomas’ death was caused by Lint deviating from the standard of care by performing a cervical manipulation that never should have been performed.
Lint also deviated from the appropriate standard of care in the technique and manner in which he performed the cervical manipulation, which caused a bilateral dissection of Brittany Thomas’ vertebral arteries and her death, according to the suit.
Willis Thomas claims Bruceton is liable for Lint’s actions as he was acting as an employee of the center at the time and was working within the scope of his employment.
Willis Thomas is seeking compensatory and punitive damages. He is being represented by Dino S. Colombo and Travis T. Mohler of Colombo Law.
Colombo said the entire incident was an “absolute tragedy.”
“This tragedy is happening more frequently and more than, I think, people realize,” Colombo said. “It’s a life-threatening procedure being done blindly in a chiropractor’s office. You can die from this.”
Colombo said Brittany Thomas had no idea of the risks involved with cervical manipulation when she visited the chiropractor that day and had the procedure done in order to help her headaches.
“This shouldn’t have been done,” Colombo said. “This procedure is being promoted as safe and it is not safe.”
The case is assigned to Circuit Judge Lawrance S. Miller Jr.
Preston Circuit Court case number: 17-C-4