OVERVIEW

Emily G. Thomas is a trial attorney at Olsman MacKenzie Peacock & Wallace. Emily focuses her practice on aiding clients with special needs and disabilities. In addition to litigating at trial, Emily consistently obtains multi-million dollar settlements for catastrophically injured children and their families. Recently, in 2019, Emily helped a child with permanent kidney and brain damage secure future care and support from a settlement of $7.5 million.

Emily’s first interaction between the law and injury occurred while in high school, when her mother became disabled. Emily continued to assist the disabled during law school helping represent clients before administrative law judges in Social Security disability cases.

Following graduation from law school and admission to the Michigan Bar, Emily began her career as an attorney at a leading medical malpractice firm investigating birth trauma cases. Over many years of practice, Emily remains committed to learning the medicine as well as the law, and to explaining both in a way that juries appreciate.

Emily is currently an appointed member of the Michigan Supreme Court Committee on Model Civil Jury Instructions, the State Bar of Michigan Civil Procedure and Courts Committee, and the State Bar of Michigan Negligence Section Council. She is a past chair of the American Association for Justice Professional Negligence Section, and an active member of the Birth Trauma Litigation Group. She published numerous articles and gave presentations on birth injury litigation and electronic medical records.

Based in her personal experiences and those of her clients, Emily believes that the judicial system often seems complex and intimidating to people with special needs and disabilities. Her goal is to help clients with special needs understand their rights and their case, and most importantly, help them get justice.

How I Serve Clients

I am a reflection of where I come from — being a caregiver and family member to those with disabilities, I work hard to be the voice for those who are unable to speak for themselves. My career is dedicated to serving victims of medical negligence who suffered life-altering injuries and disabilities. Given my personal experiences as a caregiver, I understand the every day challenges that those with special needs and disabilities face. I fight everyday to get my clients the support and care that they need after suffering preventable injury.

A majority of my career as an attorney was spent representing children with disabilities and other special needs in medical malpractice cases. Welcoming a new baby into the world is one of the most precious moments in life. Pregnant mothers and their babies are entitled to appropriate medical care. Their safety during the most pivotal moment in life should be ensured. Any patient placing their trust in a caregiver to use their knowledge, training and experience to provide appropriate care, deserves not to have their trust violated.

I am a peer to all of the families that I represent. I see in them myself and my loved ones, and I am compelled to let them know that their voices should be heard. Fighting for injured people in the courtroom is my calling. I am emboldened that through the courts I can make a difference for my clients: for women, for children, and for the safety of patients everywhere. Through the civil justice system I believe litigants and jurors can take steps to protect the rights of the most vulnerable and to build a better world.

REPRESENTATIVE CASES

Below are results that Emily has helped to obtain:

• $42 million judgment for birth injury as a result of mismanaged maternal infection resulting in cerebral palsy, brain damage, developmental delays, and learning disabilities
• $9 million settlement for birth injury due to mismanaged uterine rupture and untimely delivery leading to cerebral palsy & HIE
• $7.5 Million for kidney and brain injury after failure to timely transfuse a newborn
• $5 million settlement for birth injury resulting in Periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) and cerebral palsy caused by the failure to properly monitor premature baby and to act on signs of brain dysfunction and impending respiratory failure
• $4.75 million settlement for birth injury resulting in cerebral palsy, intellectual disabilities and developmental delays due to the misdiagnosis of fetal age, the failure to recognize and manage preeclampsia and fetal distress, and a delayed cesarean section
• $3.85 million settlement for birth injury resulting in cerebral palsy from HIE caused by the failure to act when signs of IUGR, chronic oxygen deprivation, and fetal distress were present; and a delayed C-section delivery
• $3.75 million settlement for birth injury resulting in cerebral palsy, cognitive defects, and developmental delays from birth asphyxia due to failure to order C-section delivery and incorrect administration of Cytotec
• $3.5 million settlement for delayed delivery and the failure to treat maternal infection, leading to cerebral palsy, permanent brain damage, physical disabilities and cognitive impairments
• $5 million settlement for birth injury from untreated maternal infection, leading to mild to moderate cognitive delays, learning disabilities, and cerebral palsy
• $4.5 million settlement for birth injury resulting in spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy caused by overventilation