Michigan Medical Malpractice and Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Emily Peacock

Emily Peacock is a Michigan medical malpractice and nursing home abuse and neglect lawyer at Olsman MacKenzie Peacock who brings a courtroom record, academic distinction, and a decade-plus of defense-side experience to every case she handles on behalf of individuals injured as a result of poor medical care.

With over a decade of experience at two of Michigan’s most successful defense firms, Ms. Peacock offers the firm a unique perspective in litigating cases involving medical malpractice and negligence against hospitals and doctors. She has tried numerous cases to verdict and litigated countless wrongful death matters, along with cases involving spinal injuries, heart attacks, strokes, brain injuries, choking deaths, and elopement. The knowledge gleaned from these cases is an invaluable resource to the clients she represents today.

She graduated from Wayne State University Law School in the top 5% of her class and was named a Michigan Super Lawyer every year from 2019 through 2026. She is based in the firm’s Berkley office and serves clients in Macomb County, Oakland County, Wayne County, and throughout Michigan.

Overview

Emily Peacock earned her Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from Michigan State University in 2001 and her Juris Doctor from Wayne State University Law School in 2004, where she graduated with Order of the Coif honors. A prestigious national honor society, Order of the Coif recognizes graduates who achieve the highest levels of academic excellence. At Wayne State, membership is reserved for students who finish in the top 5% of their graduating class. That commitment to excellence established the foundation for Ms. Peacock’s legal career and continues to define her approach to every case: meticulous preparation, thoughtful strategy, and an unwavering dedication to achieving the best possible outcome for her clients.

Before joining Olsman MacKenzie Peacock, Emily spent more than a decade defending hospitals, physicians, nursing homes, and insurance companies at two of Michigan’s most respected defense firms. During that time, she tried numerous cases to verdict and handled a broad range of complex medical malpractice and long-term care litigation, including wrongful death claims, spinal cord injuries, cardiac and stroke emergencies, traumatic brain injuries, choking deaths caused by inadequate feeding or supervision, and elopement cases involving vulnerable residents who wandered from care facilities without proper oversight. Her years on the defense side provided a unique perspective into how healthcare institutions and insurers investigate claims, develop expert testimony, evaluate risk, and make settlement decisions. Today, she uses that insight to advocate for injured patients, nursing home residents, and their families.

Emily is widely recognized as a leader within the plaintiffs’ bar and a passionate advocate for both women’s advancement in the legal profession and the rights of nursing home residents. She served on the American Association for Justice’s Board of Governors from 2015 through 2019 and currently chairs the Executive Committee of the AAJ Women Trial Lawyers Caucus. She also helped establish the Women’s Caucus within the Michigan Association for Justice and serves on the MAJ Executive Board, where she is currently Treasurer for 2026. An active member of the AAJ Nursing Home Litigation Group, she is a frequent speaker and author on adult foster care litigation, assisted living facility negligence, and plaintiff trial strategy. Her contributions have made her a respected voice both in Michigan and nationally.

For Emily, representing families harmed by medical negligence and nursing home abuse is deeply personal. Her grandfather’s struggle with Alzheimer’s disease and the responsibilities shouldered by her grandmother as his primary caregiver gave her firsthand insight into the challenges families face when a loved one requires long-term care. She witnessed the emotional, physical, and financial demands that caregiving can place on a family, as well as the profound trust families place in healthcare providers and care facilities. She also understands the devastation that follows when that trust is broken. Those experiences continue to shape the compassion, determination, and sense of purpose she brings to every case and every family she represents.

Why Michigan Families Choose Emily Peacock

Medical malpractice and nursing home negligence claims are among the most complex cases in Michigan law. Strict procedural requirements apply before a lawsuit can even be filed. In medical malpractice cases, Michigan law generally requires plaintiffs to provide advance notice to healthcare providers and obtain an affidavit of merit from a qualified medical expert before proceeding with litigation. These requirements often mean that a thorough investigation must be completed and expert support secured long before a case reaches the courthouse.

For families coping with the aftermath of a serious injury or unexpected loss, those legal hurdles can feel overwhelming. Emily Peacock helps clients navigate that process from day one, ensuring that critical evidence is preserved, qualified experts are consulted, and every procedural requirement is satisfied.

Emily’s experience extends beyond traditional medical malpractice claims. She has developed a particular focus on cases involving nursing homes and adult foster care facilities, where vulnerable residents depend on others for their safety and well-being. Michigan’s Adult Foster Care Facility Licensing Act imposes detailed requirements governing resident care, supervision, staffing, and facility operations. When those standards are violated and a resident is harmed, those violations can become powerful evidence in a negligence claim.

Emily’s knowledge of adult foster care litigation is recognized nationally. She has spoken and written extensively on the subject, including presenting at the American Association for Justice Annual Convention on the legal and practical issues involved in holding adult foster care facilities accountable for resident injuries and deaths. Her experience in this area is grounded not only in legal research, but in years of successfully litigating these cases on behalf of Michigan families.

Michigan families turn to Emily Peacock for representation in cases involving:

• Medical malpractice by physicians, hospitals, nurses, and other healthcare providers
• Nursing home abuse and neglect resulting in serious injury or wrongful death
• Adult foster care home negligence including choking deaths and elopement fatalities
• Brain injuries caused by failure to recognize or respond to a medical emergency
• Spinal cord injuries resulting from negligent medical procedures or inadequate supervision
• Cardiac and stroke emergencies where delayed diagnosis or treatment caused permanent harm
• Wrongful death arising from medical malpractice or institutional neglect in Michigan
• Birth trauma resulting from negligent management of labor, delivery, or newborn care

How I Serve Clients

When a person or someone they love has been harmed by the very people they trusted to provide care, the experience can be overwhelming. It is a time of grief, fear, and uncertainty about where to turn. I understand how much is at stake for these families. I take the time to listen, answer questions honestly, and fight relentlessly on their behalf.

One of the most painful things I see in this work is the guilt that families carry when a loved one is hurt in a nursing home or adult foster care facility. They chose the facility. They trusted it. And now something terrible has happened. Part of my job is to help families understand that what occurred was not their fault. It was the facility’s failure to follow the safety protocols it was required to follow, and to provide the level of care its residents were entitled to receive. Shifting that burden back to where it belongs, onto the institution that failed, is one of the most important things I can do for a family.

Adult foster care homes and long-term care facilities in Michigan are frequently understaffed, and residents are often cared for by individuals with limited training and no clinical background. The result can be abuse and neglect: staff who fail to recognize a medical crisis, fail to prevent a choking incident, fail to monitor a resident with a history of wandering, or simply fail to meet a resident’s most basic daily needs. These failures can have devastating, life-altering consequences for an entire family. I have seen those consequences firsthand, and I do not take lightly the responsibility of representing the people who have lived through them.

My practice is built on transparency and accessibility. I treat clients as I would want a member of my own family to be treated, with an open-door policy that allows them to be as engaged in their case as they want to be. I am honest about what the facts support and what they do not. And I never give up. It is an honor to fight for justice on behalf of my clients, and I approach every case with the seriousness and determination that honor demands.

Representative Cases

The following results reflect cases Emily Peacock has handled on behalf of Michigan clients. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome in any future case.

• $4.5 million settlement for the family of a resident who died as a result of neglect at an adult foster care home
• $3 million settlement for a resident who suffered a traumatic brain injury due to inadequate supervision
• $1.98 million jury verdict for a woman who underwent improper breast surgery and received deficient follow-up care
• $1.25 million settlement for the family of a 63-year-old man who died after healthcare providers failed to timely diagnose and treat sepsis
• $1 million settlement for a 42-year-old woman who suffered a spinal injury resulting in paraplegia
• $900,000 settlement for the family of a resident who died after eloping from an adult foster care home
• $725,000 settlement for the family of a 68-year-old man who became quadriplegic and later died following elective surgery

Frequently Asked Questions About Michigan Medical Malpractice, Nursing Home Negligence & Birth Injuries

What is the statute of limitations for medical malpractice claims in Michigan?

Michigan’s medical malpractice statute of limitations is typically two years from the date of the alleged malpractice under MCL 600.5838a. The period may be tolled when the plaintiff could not reasonably have discovered the injury at the time it occurred, but an absolute outer limit of six years applies in most cases regardless of discovery. Because the applicable deadline depends on the specific facts, and because the required pre-suit investigation and notice must be completed before filing, families should consult an experienced medical malpractice attorney as soon as they have concerns about their medical care or a loved one’s treatment.

Can an adult foster care home in Michigan be held liable for a resident’s death?

Yes. Michigan’s Adult Foster Care Facility Licensing Act (MCL 400.716 et seq.) imposes specific legal obligations on licensed adult foster care facilities, including staffing requirements, supervision standards, and safety protocols. When a facility fails to meet those obligations and a resident is injured or killed, the facility can be held liable for negligence. Elopement cases, choking deaths, and injuries from falls or inadequate supervision are among the most common types of claims against adult foster care homes. Emily Peacock has handled numerous cases against adult foster care facilities in Michigan and presented on this area of law at the American Association for Justice’s Annual Convention.

What is an elopement claim in a nursing home or adult foster care case?

Elopement refers to an incident in which a resident, typically one with dementia or another cognitive impairment, leaves a care facility without supervision and is harmed or killed as a result. Michigan nursing homes and adult foster care facilities are required to implement individualized care plans and safety protocols to prevent elopement for residents known to be at risk. When a facility fails to assess the risk, implement appropriate safeguards, or respond promptly when a resident goes missing, and a resident is harmed as a result, the facility can be held liable. Emily Peacock has resolved elopement cases including a $900,000 settlement for the family of a resident who died after wandering from an adult foster care home.

What should a family do when they suspect nursing home negligence in Michigan?

Families who suspect nursing home abuse or negligence in Michigan should take several steps promptly. Document all visible injuries with photographs and note dates, times, and the names of any staff members present. Request copies of the patient’s or resident’s complete medical records, care plan, and incident reports. File a complaint with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Bureau of Community and Health Systems if the facility is licensed by the state. Contact a Michigan nursing home negligence attorney before speaking further with the facility’s administrators or its insurance carrier. Critical evidence, including staffing records, surveillance footage, and incident documentation, can disappear quickly, and early legal intervention significantly improves a case.

What compensation can families recover in a Michigan wrongful death case involving medical malpractice?

Under Michigan’s Wrongful Death Act (MCL 600.2922), the personal representative of a deceased person’s estate may pursue damages on behalf of surviving family members. Recoverable damages include medical and funeral expenses, loss of the financial support the deceased would have provided, and damages for the loss of the deceased’s society and companionship, including their love, guidance, and care. In medical malpractice wrongful death cases, the claim must also satisfy the affidavit of merit and pre-suit notice requirements that apply to all malpractice claims in Michigan. The value of a wrongful death case depends on many factors, and families should speak with an attorney as soon as possible.

How does Emily Peacock’s defense-side background help her plaintiff clients?

Emily Peacock spent more than a decade representing hospitals, physicians, and insurers as a defense attorney before transitioning to plaintiff work. During that time she tried numerous cases to verdict and litigated the full range of medical malpractice and nursing home negligence matter types. She learned how defense teams evaluate plaintiff cases, select and prepare experts, manage discovery, and decide when a case warrants an aggressive defense versus a negotiated resolution. On the plaintiff side, she uses that knowledge to anticipate the defenses that will be mounted, structure discovery to target their weaknesses, and build cases that are resistant to the arguments she once helped construct.

Does Emily Peacock handle birth trauma and birth injury cases?

Yes. In addition to medical malpractice, nursing home negligence, and adult foster care cases, Emily Peacock represents families in birth trauma cases involving negligent management of labor and delivery, failure to respond to fetal distress, and injuries to newborns resulting from inadequate clinical care. Birth injury cases in Michigan are subject to the same malpractice pre-suit requirements as other healthcare claims, and the investigation requires specialized obstetric and neonatal expertise. Olsman MacKenzie Peacock has in-house registered nurses who assist with record review from the outset of every matter.

What areas of Michigan does Emily Peacock serve?

Emily Peacock represents medical malpractice, nursing home negligence, and wrongful death clients throughout the state of Michigan from Olsman MacKenzie Peacock’s Berkley office. The firm has a particular concentration in Macomb County, Oakland County, and Wayne County, and also maintains offices in Lapeer and Battle Creek. She is admitted to practice in Michigan state courts, the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

Contact Detroit Medical Malpractice & Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Emily Peacock for a Free Consultation

If you or a loved one has been injured by medical malpractice, nursing home neglect, or adult foster care negligence in Michigan, Emily Peacock at Olsman MacKenzie Peacock is ready to stand with you. Call 1.800.366.8653 for a free, no-obligation consultation. The firm maintains offices in Berkley, Lapeer, and Battle Creek and represents clients throughout Michigan.

To learn more, visit the firm’s medical malpractice resource center, the nursing home abuse and neglect resource center, or review nursing home neglect settlement amounts in Michigan.