Jonathan M. Thomas

Brian LaCien and Jonathan Thomas teamed up with Kreindler & Kreindler LLP of New York, NY to provide representation to a number of individuals who were involved in a commercial airplane crash. The litigation team recovered over $93 Million on behalf of their clients. Notable settlements included a $16,900,000 settlement on behalf of a 36-year-old female who suffered multiple fractures and ultimately required the amputation of her left leg; an $8,000,000 settlement on behalf of a 32-year-old female who suffered numerous cervical and lumbar vertebrae fractures requiring a posterior surgical fusion of C1-C2; a $7,500,000 settlement on behalf of a 54-year-old male who died as a result of the crash; a $5,800,000settlement for a 52-year-old female who suffered multiple vertebrae fractures causing nerve damage and requiring multiple past and future spinal surgeries, pain management, and rehabilitative therapy; and a $3,750,000 settlement for a 49-year-old woman who fractured her Th11 and Th12 vertebrae and required a surgical spinal fusion of the TH11 to L1 vertebrae.

A 36-year-old female passenger who suffered multiple fractures and ultimately required the amputation of her left leg after a commercial airplane crash.

(2018) Police Shooting: On December 26, 2015, Plaintiff’s Decedent, a 55-year-old Chicago resident, lived on the first floor at 4710 W. Erie in Chicago. Antonio LeGrier resided upstairs at 4710 W. Erie. Quintonio LeGrier, Antonio’s son, was home for Christmas break. Quintonio was a 19 year old Northern Illinois University student. 911 tapes reveal that early in the morning on December 26, Quintonio LeGrier called 911 three times in the minutes prior to his shooting, begging to have the police come to his father’s house on west Erie for assistance for a domestic dispute. Antonio LeGrier, his father, also contacted 911 and officers were dispatched in response to his call.

Officer Robert Rialmo responded to 4710 W. Erie, along with Officer Anthony LaPalermo in response to a disturbance/check on the well-being call, with the offender armed with a bat. Upon arriving at the residence and ringing the doorbell, they were greeted by Plaintiff’s Dececent. Decedent pointed to the stairwell and said that the disturbance was upstairs. At that time, according to Officer Rialmo, Quintonio LeGrier appeared holding an aluminum baseball bat. Officer Rialmo was backing down the stairs onto the front walkway away from the front door and drew his service weapon. Officer Rialmo then fired his service weapon in the direction of Quintonio LeGrier. Officer Rialmo never saw her relocate out of the vestibule into her apartment, and he fired his weapon directly at the doorway where he had last seen the Decedent. Officer Rialmo discharged his weapon at least seven times, and one of the rounds that Officer Rialmo fired, struck, and killed Plaintiff’s Decedent. Officer Rialmo never gave her any alert or warning that he would be firing his weapon in her direction.

Plaintiff alleged that the forensic evidence showed that Officer Rialmo had created sufficient space between he and Quintonio and he was not in imminent danger of being struck by Quintonio’s bat. Officer Rialmo discharged his firearm at least seven times at Quintonio LeGrier, striking him six times and she sustained a fatal gunshot wound to her chest. The force used by Officer Rialmo against Quintonio LeGrier resulted in Quintonio and Decedent’s death. Plaintiff maintained that the force used against Quintonio LeGrier was not objectively reasonable and was contrary to generally accepted police practices and procedures.

Additionally, Plaintiff argued that Officer Rialmo gave Decedent no opportunity to position herself in a location where she would not be at risk of harm from him firing his weapon. Plaintiff alleged that Officer Rialmo took no steps whatsoever to ensure that Decedent, an innocent person, was not at risk of injury or harm from the firing of his weapon. Plaintiff maintained that the actions of Officer Rialmo contradicted generally accepted police practices and procedures and constituted willful and wanton conduct.

Plaintiff was represented by partner, Larry Rogers Jr., and associate, Jonathan M. Thomas

Power Rogers Attorneys Larry R. Rogers Jr. and Jonathan M. Thomas secured a $10M settlement on behalf of a man who was shot in the back and paralyzed by a Chicago Police Officer in 2012. Prior to the settlement, officers involved in the encounter claimed the Plaintiff had pointed a firearm at an officer, and were honored by the City of Chicago for their heroic efforts. However, an investigation revealed that while the Plaintiff did have a firearm on his person at the time of the incident, there were no fingerprints on the gun, and no bullet chambered.

A $10,000,000.00 settlement was approved by the City Council of the City of Chicago on Wednesday, February 19, 2020 to compensate Plaintiff for the life-altering injuries he sustained as a result of the willful and wanton conduct of the City of Chicago’s Police Department, and specifically the same officers who received awards for their conduct in 2013.

A 32-year-old female passenger suffered numerous cervical and lumbar vertebrae fractures requiring a posterior surgical fusion of C1-C2 in a commercial airplane crash.

A 54-year-old male passenger died as a result of a commercial airplane crash.

(2019) Medical Malpractice: On February 2, 2016, 52 year old T.R. arrived at a Chicago area hospital around 5:00 pm with pain in her knee and no feeling in her foot. T.R. was brought to the emergency room by EMS paramedics after she slipped and fell on a patch of ice, complaining of an injury to her right leg causing 10/10 pain in the knee and limited range of motion in that leg. At 6:01 p.m., x-rays were ordered due to “concern for fracture/dislocation” with “pain in the knee and ankle.” Ultimately, these x-rays revealed left distal medial femoral fracture and T.R. was medicated with Morphine. Throughout the night T.R.’s chief complaint was right hip and right leg and loss of feeling her foot and calf.

At no point did the emergency room orders address popliteal artery injury nor acute compartment syndrome. The x-rays questioned the possibility of an acute fracture of the medial epicondyle of the distal right femur. A fracture in this location is in close anatomic proximity to the popliteal artery (and vein) and would be a potential source for disruption of this vessel. Despite the potential fracture, no evidence for fracture immobilization was found prior to 1:32 a.m. the following morning.

At 11:19 p.m. the Hospital began to prepare T.R. for discharge. T.R. continued to complain of lack of feeling in her foot and calf and inability to walk. Another doctor examined T.R. and noted “patient with a left distal medial femoral fracture adjacent to the prosthesis and will discuss with Orthopedic.” Again, the notes and orders did not address popliteal artery injury nor acute compartment syndrome. T.R. continued to complain of right leg swelling and that she was not able to move her right toes. At 2:03 a.m. T.R. had decreased foot sensation and faint distal pulse, at that point there began to be concern for compartment syndrome. At 2:06 a.m., T.R. was examined and found the right lower extremity swollen and firm, the dorsum of the foot was cool with faint DP pulse, and complaining of inability to move toes and with numb sensation. The medical records identify a “Concern for compartment syndrome. Consult to Ortho for eval”. At 2:26 a.m., orthopedics was consulted to rule out compartment syndrome and immediately requested a vascular surgery consult due to T.R.’s posterior knee subluxation and vascular injury, now with compartment syndrome. At 2:45 a.m., vascular surgery assessed T.R. and recommended emergent revascularization, she was taken into surgery and was diagnosed with an acute right lower extremity ischemia with resultant right popliteal artery injury.

T.R. underwent an emergent right superficial femoral artery-to-posterior tibial-artery bypass and four-compartment fasciotomy of the right lower leg. For the next year T.R. underwent multiple debridements and surgical procedures in efforts to save her leg. However, T.R. continued to have persistent leg pain. Ultimately, on April 5, 2017, T.R. underwent right above the knee amputation.

Plaintiff alleged that the emergency room physicians were required to monitor for and rule out popliteal artery injury with occlusion and compartment syndrome based upon the mechanism of injury and signs and symptoms that T.R. presented with.

Plaintiff was represented by partner, Larry Rogers Jr., and associates, Jonathan M. Thomas

(2018) Medical Negligence: On December 23, 2012, 30-year old Plaintiff delivered her son, she and her son remained hospitalized until December 25th, at which time they were discharged. Almost two weeks later, On January 6, 2013 at approximately 10:42 a.m., Plaintiff presented to an area Hospital with complaints of chest and back pain, and her documented pain intensity was a 15 on a 1-10 scale. She was examined in the Emergency Department and her preliminary assessment and evaluation was for cardiac work-up. Multiple tests were performed which showed no abnormalities, a CT scan was ordered exclusively to evaluate the lungs for pulmonary embolism as opposed to the aorta for injury. She was diagnosed with “intractable chest pain – non-cardiac related.” She continued to have complaints of severe chest pain over the next several hours; the pain was not relieved with analgesic therapy.

Upon admission at 3:16 p.m. she was reporting 15/10 pain and crying from the pain. Her admitting diagnoses at 3:27 p.m. were chest pain-intractable-non-cardiac related, hiatal hernia and s/p normal spontaneous vaginal delivery. She had continued complaints of severe substernal/epigastric pain with the intensity level a 10/10.

She continued to experience severe chest pain for several hours that went undiagnosed, untested, and untreated by the Defendants. Later that evening, she was found slumped over in bed and unresponsive. Resuscitative measures were ultimately unsuccessful and she was pronounced dead at 8:12 p.m. A postmortem examination revealed that she died of a hemothorax due to a laceration of the aorta.

Given the Plaintiff’s complaints of sudden, sharp, severe, chest pain that was non-to-minimally responsive to analgesic therapy, there should have been a high index of suspicion for an aortic abnormality and the Defendant physicians should have included such a condition in their differential diagnosis.

The Plaintiff was married and the mother to two daughters and a son.

Plaintiff was represented by partner, Larry Rogers Jr., and associate, Jonathan M. Thomas

Medical Malpractice: 30 year old female presented to Loyola University Medical Center for a scheduled C-section. The delivery proceeded and was uneventful and without complication.

Plaintiff’s obesity, prolonged bed rest, and large fibroid tumor placed her at an increased risk of venous thromboembolism. Despite this increased risk, only SCDs were provided and they were not consistently used during Plaintiff’s time in the hospital. Plaintiff developed a saddle pulmonary embolism, approximately 36 hours after delivery. Plaintiff died leaving a husband and minor daughter. Co-Counsel with Larry Rogers, Jr.

Medical Malpractice: 44 year old male presented to the Emergency Room at Ingalls Memorial Hospital complaining of abdominal pain. Plaintiff was placed on routine IV fluids and was admitted to the medical surgical floor with a diagnosis of acute pancreatitis, and possible small bowl obstruction. Defendant doctor recommended that pain medications be increased; CT Scan of the abdomen and pelvis with oral contrast. Plaintiff died the next day as a result of defendants’ failure to aggressively resuscitate Plaintiff with fluids and from the CT scan with contrast further which further compromised Plaintiff’s kidneys. Plaintiff died leaving a minor daughter. Co-Counsel with Larry Rogers, Jr.

Trucking: Plaintiff, 49 year old female, was travelling southbound on Illinois Route 394 near Glenwood Lansing Road. Defendant, a driver for P.I.&I. Motor Express, Inc., was traveling northbound on Illinois Route 394, in a construction zone, when he lost control of his tractor trailer, veered into several sand barrels and a concrete barrier in a construction zone and veered across the left shoulder, into the grassy middle median and into the southbound lanes of traffic where his tractor trailer struck Plaintiff’s vehicle in a head on collision. Plaintiff was fatally injured and died instantly. Plaintiff, a 49 y/o single female, who lived alone, was survived by four adult siblings who live out of state. Co-Counsel with Larry Rogers, Jr.

Trucking: Plaintiff was operating his motorcycle in an eastbound direction, Defendant was operating a semi-tractor and trailer traveling northbound and approaching an intersection. Plaintiff passed through the intersection and was continuing eastbound when Defendant failed to stop at the intersection and turned northbound causing a collision between the two vehicles. Plaintiff was knocked to the ground and rolled under the tractor and part of the trailer. Plaintiff suffered hip, lower back, and cervical injuries. Co-counsel with Joseph A. Power, Jr.

A motor vehicle accident which resulted in injuries to 3 Plaintiffs. B.S. was driving, A.T, a minor, and B.C. were passengers in her vehicle. Complete Fleet Trailer Repair, Inc.’s driver was traveling in the lane next to plaintiffs. The driver changed lanes to be traveling directly B.S’s vehicle. B.S’ vehicle had stopped, however, Complete Fleet Trailer Repair, Inc.’s driver was unable to hit his brakes prior to the collision with B.S’s vehicle. The driver was traveling approximately 40 miles per hour at the time of the collision. The minor suffered a traumatic brain injury, bilateral skull fracture, and cervical nerve root avulsion. B.C. suffered a traumatic brain injury, had a parietal subgaleal hematoma, and a disc protrusion. Defendants tendered policy limits for the injuries sustained in this action. Co-Counsel with Larry R. Rogers.

Plaintiff was driving his vehicle eastbound on the Northwest Tollway, I-90. Driver of a Con-way, Inc. tractor-trailer, was also travelling eastbound on the Northwest Tollway, I90. The drivers were preceding in stop and go traffic, at which point, Con-Way’s driver disregarded the stopped traffic and caused his vehicle to collide with Plaintiff’s vehicle. Plaintiff suffered multiple injuries including closed head injury with memory loss, physical lacerations, contusions, and fractured bones. Co-Counsel with Larry Rogers, Jr.

Auto: 62 year old was pedestrian who was struck while crossing Stockton Street near the intersection of Wrightwood, in Chicago. Plaintiff had gotten off the bus at the rear door and was crossing the street behind the bus. As he was crossing, he was hit by a vehicle of an uninsured driver. Plaintiff fractured skull in multiple places. Plaintiff pursued uninsured motorist claim. Co-counsel with Joseph A. Power, Jr.