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Thomas M. Chairs

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Thomas M. Chairs is a trial lawyer in the Healthcare and Commercial Litigation practice groups of GRSM. Thomas is a Partner of the firm with offices in Pittsburgh and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and is Co-Managing Partner of the Harrisburg office.

Thomas counsels clients in complex litigation matters. Early in his career he assumed the role of lead counsel in major jury trial proceedings. He has successfully tried cases to verdict in more than a dozen counties throughout Pennsylvania. Thomas has handled hundreds of litigated matters. His in depth experience in State and Federal Court serves as a fundamental advantage for clients in any civil dispute.

Throughout his career, Thomas has maintained a case load that includes representation of national, regional and closely held corporations. On the basis of his vast experience as a trial attorney, Thomas has been designated Board Certified in civil trial advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocacy.

Thomas works closely with self insured organizations predominantly in the healthcare field. His representation of healthcare providers includes litigation and extends to counsel in licensing issues, compliance with governmental regulations, risk management and policy implementation. He regularly participates in the orientation of hospital personnel. Thomas also lectures on loss avoidance and best practices.

Mr. Chairs has extensive experience in the handling of catastrophic injury cases.  Representative results that Mr. Chairs has obtained for his clients include:

  • Alleged Birth Injury – Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation
    • Defense jury verdict:  Mr. Chairs successfully defended an obstetrician and hospital accused of professional malpractice in the management of a labor and delivery.  Following a two week trial a Dauphin County jury returned a verdict in favor of Mr. Chairs’ clients.
  • Alleged Emergency Department Negligence – Permanent Neurologic Injury, Mental Retardation
    • Defense jury verdict:  Mr. Chairs successfully represented emergency department personnel charged with professional liability for failing to control seizures in an 11 month old infant.  At the conclusion of 9 days of testimony from competing expert witnesses, a Franklin County jury returned a verdict in favor of Mr. Chairs’ client.
  • Alleged Failure to Diagnose and Treat Retinopathy of Prematurity
    • Defense jury verdict:  Mr. Chairs successfully represented an ophthalmologist accused of professional negligence for failing to diagnose and treat a neonatal intensive care patient that lost his vision shortly after discharge from an extended hospital stay following birth. At the conclusion of a two week trial a Dauphin County jury returned a verdict in favor of the pediatric ophthalmologist represented by Mr. Chairs.
  • Alleged Failure to Diagnose and Treat Spinal Cord Hematoma causing Paralysis
    • Defense jury verdict:  A Cumberland County jury returned a verdict in favor of the hospital that Mr. Chairs represented in an extended trial where it was alleged that an internal medicine physician failed to timely diagnose and treat a spinal cord impingement. The patient claimed a permanent loss of use of both lower extremities. The jury verdict in favor of the hospital was unanimous.
  • Alleged Failure to Manage Hypoglycemia causing Permanent Neurologic Injury, Development Delay
    • Defense jury verdict:  At the conclusion of a two week trial a defense verdict was returned by a  Dauphin County jury in favor of the hospital resident alleged to have mismanaged hypoglycemia  in an infant subsequently diagnosed with neurologic injury and developmental delay.

Admissions

  • Maryland
  • Pennsylvania
  • Supreme Court of Maryland
  • Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Middle District of Pennsylvania

Memberships

  • Lancaster Bar Association
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association

Education

  • J.D., Widener University School of Law, 1996
  • B.A., Political Science, Randolph-Macon College, 1992

Honors

  • Best Lawyers in America® distinction in Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants (2020-2025)