Lauren Walson is a Michigan medical malpractice, nursing home abuse and neglect, and personal injury lawyer at Olsman MacKenzie Peacock. She represents clients in cases involving physician negligence, hospital malpractice, nursing home abuse, long-term care facility neglect, healthcare fraud, wrongful death, financial exploitation of vulnerable adults, and other serious personal injury matters.

Based in Berkley, Michigan, Lauren serves clients throughout Oakland County, Wayne County, Macomb County, Metro Detroit, and across the State of Michigan.

Michigan Medical Malpractice and Personal Injury Lawyer Lauren Walson

Overview

Lauren Walson’s academic path reflects the breadth of perspective she brings to plaintiff advocacy. She studied English and Philosophy of Law at Michigan State University before attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Law, where she served as Managing Editor of the Wisconsin International Law Journal. In that role, she developed the editorial precision and analytical rigor that now defines her approach to building cases. Her published scholarship in the Journal examined the intersection of international human rights law and environmental justice, applying treaty frameworks to the protection of children from the effects of climate change. While that work was academic in nature, the underlying commitment it reflects, to using legal systems to protect vulnerable people from institutional failures, is the same motivation that drives her client work today.

At Olsman MacKenzie Peacock, Lauren has built a reputation for meticulous case preparation, leaving no avenue of investigation unexplored and holding every potentially liable party accountable. She handles the full range of litigation work her cases demand: drafting and arguing motions, preparing responses, prosecuting appeals, and developing facilitation summaries that put the strongest possible version of a client’s case before the decision-makers who can resolve it. Her work requires understanding how institutional defendants, whether a hospital, a nursing home operator, or a care facility, respond when confronted with evidence of their own failures, and developing strategies that account for that reality.

Lauren is particularly focused on cases involving people who could not advocate for themselves at the time of the harm. Elderly residents in long-term care facilities, adults with cognitive impairments, and patients who placed their trust entirely in a medical provider are among the most vulnerable plaintiffs in the civil justice system. When those individuals are harmed, their families are often left to piece together what happened from records that the responsible institution controls. Lauren’s commitment is to stand beside those families, reconstruct the truth, and pursue every avenue of accountability and compensation available to them under Michigan law.

Why Michigan Families Choose Lauren Walson

The cases Lauren handles sit at the intersection of several distinct areas of Michigan law, and that intersection is where many families fall through the cracks. A family trying to understand whether their loved one was harmed by medical negligence, abused in a care facility, or financially exploited by a caregiver faces different legal theories, different statutes of limitations, and different evidentiary requirements depending on which theory applies. Having an experienced injury attorney who understands all three frameworks is not a luxury. It is often what determines whether a case can be pursued at all.

Michigan’s Adult Protective Services Act (MCL 400.11) creates mandatory reporting obligations for individuals who suspect abuse, neglect, or exploitation of vulnerable adults, but it does not automatically provide families with a civil remedy. The civil claim must be built on the facts of the specific case, whether that means a negligence theory, a breach of fiduciary duty, or a fraud and conversion claim. Under Michigan law, individuals harmed as a result of fraud or unlawful conversion may recover three times the amount of actual damages under MCL 600.2919a. In elder financial exploitation cases, that multiplier can produce a result that meaningfully reflects the full impact of what was taken.

In nursing home and medical malpractice cases, Michigan law requires that the theory of liability be correctly framed from the outset. Claims that sound in medical malpractice require an affidavit of merit from a qualified expert and compliance with pre-suit notice requirements. Claims that sound in ordinary negligence do not. Misidentifying the theory can result in dismissal or a missed deadline. Lauren works through this analysis at intake, ensuring the legal foundation of every case is sound before a single pleading is filed.

Michigan families bring cases to Lauren involving:

• Medical malpractice by physicians, hospitals, urgent care centers, and other healthcare providers
• Physical abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect of residents in nursing homes and assisted living facilities
• Financial exploitation of elderly or cognitively impaired individuals by caregivers, family members, or others in positions of trust
• Healthcare fraud and unnecessary medical procedures causing patient harm
• Wrongful death resulting from institutional negligence or abuse in Michigan
• Premises liability and personal injury matters throughout Michigan

How I Serve Clients

I am dedicated to advocating on behalf of those who have been injured by the negligent acts of others. Whether the harm came from a medical provider who failed to meet the standard of care, a care facility that ignored a resident’s safety, or someone who took advantage of a vulnerable person’s trust, it is my job to tenaciously seek justice and accountability from all liable parties and the maximum compensation my clients deserve.

Many of the people I represent came to me after months of trying to get answers from the institution responsible for their loved ones’ care. By the time they call, they often know something went wrong, but they have been unable to get anyone to tell them what, why, or who was responsible. That is the work I do. I obtain the records, review the evidence, and consult with the experts needed to reconstruct the truth. I then build a strategy designed to put my client in the strongest possible position, whether that means a settlement that fairly compensates them or taking the case to trial.

Even when an investigation does not support filing a lawsuit, the process of reviewing what happened can provide families with clarity and closure they could not get any other way. I believe that answers matter, not only as a basis for legal action, but because people who trusted an institution with someone they love deserve to know the truth about what happened.

Representative Cases

The following result reflects a case Lauren Walson has handled on behalf of a Michigan client. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome in any future case.

• $1.61 million verdict for an elderly man with dementia who was financially exploited by his housekeeper, including treble damages awarded under Michigan law for fraud and conversion following a two-day bench trial

Frequently Asked Questions About Michigan Medical Malpractice, Nursing Home Abuse, and Elder Exploitation

What is financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult under Michigan law?

Under Michigan law, financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult occurs when a person in a position of trust or authority over a vulnerable individual, including a caregiver, family member, or facility employee, uses that position to wrongfully take, convert, or conceal the individual’s assets, property, or financial resources.

Michigan’s Vulnerable Adults reporting statute (MCL 400.11a) requires mandatory reporting of suspected exploitation, and civil claims may be brought under theories of fraud, conversion, breach of fiduciary duty, or undue influence. Where fraud or conversion is proven, Michigan courts may award treble damages under MCL 600.2919a.

What should families do when they suspect a loved one is being financially exploited in Michigan?

Families who suspect financial exploitation of an elderly or cognitively impaired loved one in Michigan should take immediate steps to document and stop the exploitation. This includes requesting a review of bank records and financial accounts, reporting the suspected exploitation to Michigan Adult Protective Services under MCL 400.11, contacting the loved one’s bank to flag suspicious activity, and consulting a Michigan attorney before confronting the suspected exploiter directly. Early legal intervention can prevent additional losses and preserve evidence that would otherwise be difficult to recover.

How does Michigan law distinguish between nursing home abuse and negligence?

Michigan law treats intentional abuse and negligent care as distinct theories of liability, and the distinction matters for how a case is pursued. Intentional abuse, including physical striking, sexual assault, or deliberate deprivation of care, is treated as a tort independent of any malpractice framework. Negligent care, including failure to prevent falls, pressure ulcers, or medication errors, is evaluated under either ordinary negligence or medical malpractice standards depending on whether the conduct involved the exercise of professional medical judgment. Lauren evaluates both theories at intake to ensure the correct legal framework is applied and the appropriate statute of limitations and notice requirements are met.

What is the statute of limitations for nursing home abuse and neglect claims in Michigan?

Negligence claims for nursing home abuse or neglect generally must be filed within three years of the injury under MCL 600.5805. Claims that involve medical malpractice theory are subject to a two-year limitations period under MCL 600.5838a, with a required 182-day pre-suit notice period. Because many nursing home cases involve facts that could support either theory, identifying the correct deadline at the outset is critical. Families should contact a medical malpractice lawyer or nursing home abuse attorney as soon as they discover or suspect that harm occurred, since delay can permanently bar recovery.

Can a family member recover compensation if a loved one died as a result of nursing home negligence in Michigan?

Yes. When a nursing home resident dies because of neglect or abuse in Michigan, the personal representative of the estate may bring a wrongful death claim under MCL 600.2922. Michigan’s Wrongful Death Act allows recovery for medical and funeral expenses, lost financial support, and damages for the loss of the relationship with the deceased, including the loss of their society, companionship, and guidance.

Wrongful death cases arising from nursing home negligence require the same careful pre-suit investigation as other institutional claims, and the applicable statute of limitations and notice requirements must be tracked from the date of death.

Does Lauren Walson handle personal injury cases in addition to medical malpractice and nursing home cases?

Yes. In addition to medical malpractice and nursing home abuse cases, Lauren handles a range of personal injury matters under Michigan law, including premises liability, slip and fall injuries, and other claims arising from the negligence of third parties. She also handles wrongful death cases across practice areas. At Olsman MacKenzie Peacock, our attorneys routinely collaborate across cases, and Lauren works alongside the firm’s other attorneys and the in-house nursing staff to bring comprehensive resources to every matter regardless of its type.

How does Michigan’s medical malpractice pre-suit notice requirement work?

Before filing a medical malpractice lawsuit in Michigan, a plaintiff must provide written notice to each potential defendant at least 182 days before the complaint is filed, under MCL 600.2912b. This notice must include a general description of the alleged malpractice and the resulting injuries.

During the notice period, the statute of limitations is tolled, giving the plaintiff additional time. Failure to provide timely and proper notice can result in dismissal. Because the notice triggers the running of several procedural deadlines, families should consult an attorney as soon as they have concerns about medical care.

What areas of Michigan does Lauren Walson serve?

Lauren Walson represents clients throughout the state of Michigan from Olsman MacKenzie Peacock’s Berkley office, with a particular concentration in Oakland County, Wayne County, and Macomb County. The firm also maintains offices in Lapeer and Battle Creek and handles cases in state and federal courts across Michigan.