Tom Jacob focuses his law practice on catastrophic personal injury and medical malpractice, with specific attention to lawsuits under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA). Under the FTCA, his clients can hold the U.S. government accountable for personal injuries caused by agencies like the VA, the military branches, U.S. Postal Service, Department of Health and Human Services, and others.
In 2022, Tom Jacob was one of the lead trial attorneys in a landmark $230m verdict against the United States brought on behalf of victims in a mass shooting that took place in Sutherland Springs, TX. Other examples of cases he’s tried to verdict or settlements against the Government include:
- $21.5 million verdict against the New Hampshire VA for medical malpractice that caused a stroke. At the time, it was the largest medical malpractice verdict in the history of New Hampshire.
- $1.9 million verdict against the Health and Human Services for its failure to diagnose infection leading to the death of a 6-year-old boy.
- $8.75 million settlement against the Army when one of its service members caused a car wreck that resulted in the death of his client
- $8 million settlement against an Army Hospital for negligence causing a birth injury
- $5.9 million settlement for a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) caused by a construction accident
Mr. Tom Jacob graduated first in his class at Baylor Law School. While there, he served as Editor-in-Chief of the Baylor Law Review. He also won the “Top Gun” Competition, a five-day, single-elimination one-on-one trial competition. He has numerous other advocacy awards at Baylor, including induction into the Order of the Barristers, and multiple championship and finalist finishes at large national mock trial competitions (AAJ, Nat’l Trial Advocacy Competition, and Nat’l Ethics Trial Advocacy Competition).
Before starting his practice, he clerked for a year on the Fifth Circuit. Since 2010, he’s practice personal injury and medical malpractice on behalf of Plaintiffs. He’s presented to various organizations on these topics, including AAJ, Inns of Court, TTLA, and various state bar associations. He’s published in multiple areas, including most recently in the Texas Tech Law Review, con-cerning the pre- and post-suit notice given in medical malpractice cases.
Professional Affiliations
- Calvert Inn of Court
- Austin Bar Association
- Austin Young Lawyers Association
- Texas Trial Lawyers Association
- American Association for Justice
- Texas Bar Foundation, Fellow
Bar Admissions
- State Bar of Texas
- First Circuit Court of Appeals
- Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
- Western District of Texas
- Eastern District of Texas
- Southern District of Texas
- Northern District of Texas
- Southern District of Illinois
- Northern District of Florida
Education
- Baylor Law School, JD, summa cum laude
- University of Texas at Austin, BA, Government
Clerkship
- United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, Judge Will Garwood
Case Results
- $1,903,961 trial verdict ($1,675,000 settlement on appeal, with clients recovering $1,150,505 after fees and expenses) against Health and Human Services, arising out of the failure to diagnose a septic hip in a child.
- $21,592,643.03 trial verdict ($15,884,511.98 in trust for clients with lifetime benefits) against the Department of Veterans Affairs, arising out of the failure to diagnose a stroke.
- $3,000,000 settlement for emergency room medical malpractice ($1,955,638.58 to clients after fees and expenses)
- $6,500,000 birth injury settlement ($4,581,969.98 net to clients after attorneys’ fees and expenses) arising out of the use of Pitocin/Oxytocin leading to uterine hyperstimulation.
- $2,150,000 wrongful death settlement ($1,492,813 net to clients after attorneys’ fees and expenses) resulting from the failure to diagnose cancer.
- $775,000 settlement ($340,000 net to clients after attorneys’ fees and expenses) against the United States Postal Service. Client suffered nerve injuries to leg after a t-bone car wreck.
- $1,000,000 settlement ($650,236.03 net to clients after attorneys’ fees and expenses) against the Army arising out of a military convoy wreck resulting in mild traumatic brain injury.
Publications & Presentations
- Co-presenter, Artificial Intelligence & the Law (April 7, 2023)
- Co-presenter, OSHA & COVID-19 (March 9, 2021)
- Co-Author, Pre- and Post-Suit Notice: Medical Authorizations & the 120-Day Expert Report, 51 Tex. Tech L. Rev. 765 (2019)
- Co-presenter, Driven to Distraction (Apr. 10, 2012), awarded the Lloyd Lochridge Award for Best Presentation.
- Co-presenter, From My Cold, Dead Hands: the Second Amendment (Oct. 9, 2012).
- Presenter,Introduction to Opening Statements (Dec. 3, 2012).
- Presenter,Federal Preemption & Repose (July 20, 2013).
- Co-presenter,50 Ways to Lose Your License (March 4, 2014).
- Presenter, What is a Healthcare Liability Claim? (July 12, 2014).
- Author, Letter from the Chair, Fed. Tort. & Military Advocacy (Nov. 2014).
- Co-presenter, Voter ID & Voting Rights (Jan. 13, 2015).
- Author, Equitable Tolling & the Statute of Limitations in the FTCA, Fed. Tort. & Military Advocacy (Feb. 2014).
- Presenter, E-Filing Basics in Federal Court, Travis County Woman Lawyers Association, A Day in Federal Court (May 15, 2015).
- Presenter, Cases You Gotta Know (2014–15), Texas Trial Lawyers Association Mid-Year Convention (June 4, 2015).
- Presenter, Federal Tort Claims Act, Fed. Tort. & Military Advocacy (July 11, 2015)
