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Attorney Thomas M. Power Headshot

Partner

Leading Lawyers | Thomas M. Power | Peer Selected 2022

Biography

Thomas M. Power, a partner of Power Rogers since 1992, brings extensive experience as an Illinois trial lawyer to the law firm and to the plaintiffs he represents in all aspects of Illinois accident law and personal injury law, including wrongful death, automobile negligence, product liability, and medical malpractice.

Prior to joining the leading personal injury law firm in Illinois, Mr. Power was an Illinois trial lawyer for the Cook County Public Defender Murder Task Force. Handling an impressive 300 trials during his seven-year tenure as a public defender, he successfully represented individuals accused of various crimes ranging from simple misdemeanor cases to very serious felony cases, including numerous capital cases. A talented Illinois trial lawyer, Mr. Power taught trial practice as an adjunct professor at DePaul College of Law.

Some of his notable recoveries include the largest knee injury verdict in Indiana history. He achieved this in 1994 when together, with his brother, senior partner Joseph A. Power, he represented a Polish immigrant who sustained a knee injury after his disabled truck was struck. The truck accident case was tried in Federal District Court in Hammond, Ind., where the jury returned a verdict of $1,500,000.00.

Results

In December 2001, Tom Power negotiated a $2,500,000.00 settlement for a 33-year-old ironworker who, while working on a bridge which crossed-over the Stevenson Expressway, was knocked off the bridge by a crane operated by an employee of the general contractor. The ironworker suffered two fractured wrists.

In July 2003, Mr. Power, along with Tom Siracusa, represented the family of a terminally ill lymphoma patient who developed bedsores during his hospitalization. The jury awarded the family $2,500,000.00 after a two-week trial. In November 2002, Mr. Power and Mr. Siracusa settled a medical malpractice case on behalf of the family of a patient in whom the defendants failed to diagnose and timely treat a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm. One and one-half weeks into the trial, the defendants offered $1.5 million, a substantial increase over their pretrial offer of $200,000.00. Education

In December 2005, Mr. Power obtained a $5,000,000.00 settlement on behalf of the Estate of a 52-year-old man who was a beloved English teacher and swim coach at an elite school despite being a quadriplegic for over 30 years. The man was discharged from the ER with a diagnosis of gastroenteritis, when in fact he had a perforated ulcer, which would have been detected had the staff employed additional diagnostic tools given his state as a quadriplegic. By the time he returned to the ER approximately 24 hours later, he was septic. He battled the infection for nearly a month before passing. He left a surviving spouse.

In March 2007, Mr. Power obtained a $4,000,000.00 settlement on behalf of a 41-year-old man who was seriously injured when he fell approximately 25 feet to the ground while installing ductwork during a hospital renovation. Plaintiff suffered, among other things, a fractured skull, deep head lacerations resulting in indentation, permanent eye damage (severe double vision), permanent partial hearing loss, seizure disorder, permanent right arm weakness, short and long-term memory problems, and frontal lobe atrophy. Plaintiff is married with 3 children, two of whom are minors.

In April 2007, Mr. Power obtained a $3,000,000.00 settlement on behalf of the family of a 15-year-old boy who suffered an asthma attack at home and was brought to a medical care center. While there, the boy's condition worsened and it took several attempts to intubate him. As a result of the delay, he coded and, ultimately, became comatose, dying four days later. At the time of settlement, this was the largest settlement on behalf of a minor in Will County.

In November 2007, Mr. Power was successful in persuading a Cook County jury to award $2.7 million to an 80-year-old man whose car was rear-ended by a semi-tractor trailer then flipped in the air, causing it to land on a nearby vehicle. The defendant claimed the plaintiff cut him off and slammed on his brakes. A police officer at the scene testified the plaintiff admitted that he stopped to avoid hitting a vehicle in front of him.

In December 2007, Mr. Power, together with Joe Power and Joe Balesteri, obtained a $13,000,000.00 medical malpractice settlement on behalf of a now 14-year-old boy whose physician failed to test for tuberculosis after the boy, then 21 months old, was brought to him with complaints of fever, runny nose and lethargy. The physician had been informed that the boy's grandfather had recently been diagnosed with tuberculosis. As a result of the physician's negligence, the boy developed meningitis and suffered brain damage. Subsequently, he was required to attend Special Education classes.

R.O. v. Confidential Defendants

(2022)
Power Rogers attorneys Joseph Power, Thomas Power, James Power and Dominic LoVerde recently secured $50,000,000.00 on behalf of their client who suffered serious injuries in an accident that occurred while trimming branches from a tree on his property, including severe burns and the loss of both arms and a leg. Joseph Power, Thomas Power, James Power and Dominic LoVerde.
Settlement: $50,000,000.00 

Education

  • The John Marshall Law School, Chicago, Illinois
    • J.D., Doctor of Jurisprudence - 00/1985
  • St. Xavier College
    • B.A. - 1980

Practice Areas

  • Personal Injury
  • Wrongful Death
  • Automobile Negligence
  • Product Liability
  • Medical Malpractice

Professional Associations

  • Chicago Bar Association
  • American Bar Association
  • Illinois State Bar Association, Elected Member of the Assembly, 1994 - 1996
  • Illinois Trial Lawyers Association
  • Legislative Committee, Member

Bar Admissions

  • Illinois, 1985
  • U.S. District Court Central District of Illinois, 1985
  • U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois, 1985
  • U.S. District Court Southern District of Illinois, 1985
  • U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois Trial Bar, 1994
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit, 1994

Honors

  • Leading Lawyers Magazine 2016 - Leading lawyer in the field of general personal injury
  • Recognized as Illinois Super Lawyer 2012-Present

Classes & Seminars

  • Adjunct Professor, DePaul College of Law

Past Positions

  • Cook County Public Defender, Attorney, 00/1985 to 00/1992