Practice areas: Personal Injury; view more
Licensed in Michigan since: 2013
Education: University of Minnesota Law School
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2019 - 2026 
Selected to Rising Stars: 2015 - 2018 Call today:
616-344-2290
Free Consultation Sinas Dramis Law Firm
435 Cherry St SEGrand Rapids, MI 49503 Visit website
Details
Tom Sinas is a trial lawyer who has built his career serving the public and fighting for people who have been injured. As a partner at the Sinas Dramis Law Firm, he manages the firm’s downtown Grand Rapids office and is deeply committed to serving his West Michigan community.
While his legal knowledge is broad, Tom's work mainly focuses on personal injury and wrongful death cases, auto negligence claims, and Michigan’s auto no-fault law. In particular, he makes sure that people injured in car accidents can stand on equal footing with the insurance companies they are up against. Over the years, he has also developed a unique skillset working with clients who have spinal cord injuries and traumatic brain injuires.
Throughout his distinguished career, Tom has achieved significant verdicts and settlements on behalf of his clients. His combination of determination and compassion has earned him an outstanding reputation in West Michigan and across the state.
Practice areas
Personal Injury - General: PlaintiffFocus areas
Animal Bites, Brain Injury, Motor Vehicle Accidents, Personal Injury - Plaintiff, Premises Liability - Plaintiff, Trucking Accidents, Wrongful Death
- 100% Personal Injury - General: Plaintiff
First Admitted: 2006, Minnesota
Professional Webpage: https://sinasdramis.com/michigan-personal-injury-attorneys/g...
Bar / Professional Activity
- Grand Rapids Bar Association, Former Trustee, 2015-2018
- West Michigan Federal Court Association, Hillman Advocacy Program, Faculty
- Grand Rapids Bar Association admission, 2013
- Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys
- State Bar of Michigan, Board of Commissioners, 2019-2022
- International Society of Barristers, Fellow, 2023
- State Bar of Minnesota admission, 2006
- Brain Injury Association of Michigan, Board Chair, 2022-2024
- Coalition Protecting Auto No-Fault (CPAN) – Associate General Counsel
- Legal Assistance Center, President, 2015-2019
- Michigan Association for Justice
- Justice Foundation of West Michigan, Committee Members, 2014-2018, 2014
Verdicts / Settlements (Case Results)
- $7,775,000 – Wrongful death settlement and personal injury settlements for a Michigan family suffering the untimely death of the driver (husband and father two other passengers), serious physical injuries, and psychological trauma as the result of another vehicle turning abruptly in front of the family vehicle.
- $1,975,000 – Settlement for Ottawa County man who suffered leg amputation after being struck by a distracted driver. Recovery exceeded the first two layers of primary insurance.
- $7,000,000 – Semi-truck collision resulting in death and serious physical injuries to three adult members of one Michigan family. The tragedy was caused by an inattentive semi-truck driver who made an illegal left turn, causing a violent collision and inflicting enormous harms and losses. Obtaining justice for this family required filing suit in another state against the trucking company.
- $5,000,000 – Wrongful death settlement on behalf of a West Michigan family for the suffering and death of a beloved 74-year-old Barry County woman who suffered extensive personal injuries after being struck by a forklift in the parking lot of a local hardware store. The woman was survived by her husband of 51 years, adult daughter, and three grandchildren.
- $4,000,000– Auto liability case involving serious and life-altering injuries to a young woman who sustained an injury to her spinal cord. Our firm helped secure a pre-suit settlement by putting together a comprehensive presentation that included a detailed written summary and a documentary-style film with extensive video footage, photographs, radiology images, and interviews with the young woman’s family, friends, and medical professionals.
- $1,500,000 - Policy limits wrongful death settlement involving tragic death of Thumb Area man who was killed in a dual motor vehicle crash in Huron County
Educational Background
- B.A., University of Michigan, Economics, highest distinction
- J.D. University of Minnesota Law School, magna cum laude
- B.F.A, University of Michigan, Jazz Studies (highest honors)
Scholarly Lectures / Writings
- The Dire Consequences of D Insurance (SB 288) – 31st Annual Western Michigan Brain Injury, 2016
- Using the Internet Archive to Investigate and Strengthen Your Case, Journal of Minnesota Association for Justice, 2008
- Damages Questions on the Special Verdict Form, Journal of Minnesota Association for Justice, 2010
- Professionalism in Medicine: A Case-Based Guide for Medical Students (book), contributing author, 2010
- “Texts, Lies, and Identity Theft: Prosecuting Complex Financial Fraud with Minnesota’s Racketeering Statute”, William Mitchel Law Review, 2013
- A New Trap for the Unwary No-Fault Lawyer – Grand Rapids Lawyer, 2014
- A Judicially-Created Disqualification from No-Fault Benefits – Grand Rapids Lawyer, 2014
- A Quick Guide to Michigan No-Fault Law (co-authored with George Sinas), 2014
- Uber Raises Public Safety Concerns, Lansing State Journal, 2014
- There’s One Important Question Left Out of Grand Rapids’ Airbnb Discussion, The Grand Rapids Press/MLive, 2014
- Standing Strong: Michigan Court of Appeals Affirms Medical Providers’ Rights to Sue No-Fault Insurers – Grand Rapids Lawyer, 2015
- Don’t Overlook the Intentional Auto Tort – Grand Rapids Lawyer, 2015
- Michigan Supreme Court Affirm Mind-Body Connection – Grand Rapids Lawyer, 2015
- The Michigan Auto No-Fault Law: Your Rights & Benefits, 8th edition (co-authored with George Sinas and Stephen Sinas), 2015
- When Publication Leads to Clarification, Grand Rapids Lawyer, 2015
- Auto no-fault reform is anti-jobs, anti-free market, anti-Michigan, Grand Rapids Business Journal, 2015
- Abuse of no-fault law happens on both sides, hurts victims, Bridge Magazine, 2015
- Beware of the Family ‘Step-Down’ Auto Insurance Clause, Michigan Lawyers Weekly, 2016
- Reasonable Proof: It’s Simpler than You Think, Grand Rapids Lawyer, 2016
- You Are What You Plead: Michigan Supreme Court Clarifies District Courts’ Subject Matter Jurisdiction, Grand Rapids Lawyer, 2016
- A Stitch in Time: Supreme Court Softens the One-Year Notice Rule in PIP Cases, Grand Rapids Lawyer, 2016
- A New Frontier in the Wild West of ERISA Litigation, Grand Rapids Lawyer, 2016
- A New Lifeboat for Medical Providers Adrift in the No-Fault Sea, Grand Rapids Lawyer, 2016
- Kalamazoo shootings should put brakes on Uber’s legislative agenda in Lansing, Bridge Magazine, 2016
- Adverse Medical Examinations in Personal Injury Cases: Following the Rules, Grand Rapids Lawyer, 2017
- Yes, there is a Threshold–And It’s Working, Grand Rapids Lawyer, 2017
- Understanding the Whole Injury, Innovative Health Magazine, 2017
- A Midwestern Traveler’s Thoughts on Jury Selection Logistics, Grand Rapids Lawyer, 2017
- Covenant Medical Center v. State Farm: A Sea Change in Michigan’s Auto No-Fault System, Grand Rapids Lawyer, 2017
- Excess Economic Loss in Auto Liability Cases: Remembering the Fundamentals, Grand Rapids Lawyer, 2017
- Written Notice and Statutes of Limitations, Michigan Civil Procedure, Second Edition, 2018
- Res Ipsa and Spoliation: A Dangerous Combination, Grand Rapids Lawyer, 2018
- Michigan Supreme Court: Insurers Have No Absolute Right to Rescission, Grand Rapids Lawyer, 2018
- New Stirrings in Auto Threshold Law, Grand Rapids Lawyer, 2018
- Notice of a No-Fault Claim: Michigan Supreme Court Chooses Simplicity over Complexity, Grand Rapids Lawyer, 2018
- Michigan’s Quirky Expert Deposition Rules, Grand Rapids Lawyer, 2018
- Remembering Your No-Fault Priorities – Grand Rapids Lawyer, 2019
- Don’t Be Fooled by the Insurance Industry’s Shiny Objects – Grand Rapids Business Journal, 2019
- Remembering Your No-Fault Priorities – Grand Rapids Lawyer, 2019
- Auto No-Fault Threshold: Peace At Last? – Grand Rapids Lawyer, 2019
- You’re Either In or You’re Out: Determining Dependency in Survivor’s Loss Claims – Grand Rapids Lawyer, 2019
- When Chaos Devolves into Anarchy: the Hot Mess of Public Acts 21 and 22 – Grand Rapids Lawyer, 2019
- Navigating the Chaos: The New No-Fault Legislation – co-authored with George Sinas and Stephen Sinas, 2019
- Written Notice and Statutes of Limitations, Michigan Civil Procedure, 2020 Update to Second Edition, 2020
- The End of Psychological Exams by No-Fault Insurers – Grand Rapids Lawyer, 2020
- Out of State But Not Out of Mind – Grand Rapids Lawyer, 2020
- Making Smart Choices: A Summary Guide to the New Auto No-Fault Law” – co-authored with George Sinas and Stephen Sinas, an in-depth guide to consumer choices under the 2019 reformed auto no-fault law, 2020
- The Intersection of Grunge Rock and Auto Liability Threshold Law – Grand Rapids Lawyer, 2020
- Court System, Meet the No-Fault Choice Mess – Grand Rapids Lawyer, 2020
- “Protecting the Injured: A Summary Guide to the New Auto No-Fault Law” – co-authored with George Sinas and Stephen Sinas, this brochure is an essential resource to those injured in Michigan motor vehicle accidents, 2020
- Motorcycles, Company Cars, and the No-Fault “Choice” Fallacy – Grand Rapids Lawyer, 2020
- New Auto Insurance Liability Limits, New Complexities – Grand Rapids Lawyer, January – February, 2021
- RIP, Bahri – You Will Not Be Missed – Grand Rapids Lawyer, March – April, 2021
- Auto Law’s Alphabet Soup: PIP, MACP, and ERISA Health Plans – Grand Rapids Lawyer, May – June, 2021
- Auto No-Fault Deform: Chapter III – Grand Rapids Lawyer, September-October, 2021
- Auto Threshold Law: A Year in Review – Grand Rapids Lawyer, November-December, 2021
- Into Thin Air: Medicaid Liens and Personal Injury Settlements – Grand Rapids Lawyer, January-February, 2022
- Snowmobiling With Alice in Legal Wonderland – Grand Rapids Lawyer, March – April, 2022
- Unclothing the Emperor: Straight Talk from the Michigan Court of Appeals about the “Independent” Medical Examination Fallacy – Grand Rapids Lawyer, May – June, 2022
- Auto Liability and the Insidious Causation Problem – Grand Rapids Lawyer, September – October, 2022
- Venue in Multi-Defendant Tort Cases – Grand Rapids Lawyer, November – December, 2022
- Auto Threshold Law: Another Year in Review – Grand Rapids Lawyer, January – February, 2023
- Further Reflections on Motorcycles and No-Fault Priority – Grand Rapids Lawyer, May – June, 2023
- Can the Law Save Lives? – Grand Rapids Lawyer, September – October, 2023
- Auto Threshold: Another Year In Review 2023 – Grand Rapids Lawyer – November -December, 2023
- “Going Back in Time: Using the Internet Archive,” American Association for Justice Mid-Year Convention, 2008
- “To Answer or Not to Answer: Legal Arguments for and Against Requiring the Jury to Answer the Damage Question,” Minnesota Association for Justice Annual Convention, 2009
- “Mortgage and Real Estate Fraud,” Minnesota Sheriff’s Association/Law Enforcement Training Service, 2012
- “Beyond Admire: Recent Court of Appeals Decisions Regarding the Everyday Living Needs of Catastrophically Injured,” CPAN: Admire II Workshop, 2013
- “Racketeering Forfeiture,” Financial Crime Training, 2013
- “Criminal Law,” People’s Law School, 2013
- “Auto Law 101,” “Let Our Voices be Heard” CPAN workshop, 2014
- “A Legal Analysis of the Admire Problem,” CPAN Admire III Workshop, 2014
- “Auto Law 101 and Pending No-Fault Legislation,” Mary Free Bed Patient Advocate Advisory Council, 2014
- “The Admire Problem,” Michigan Association for Justice, 2014
- “Admire v. Auto-Owners Ins. Co.,” Michigan Supreme Court Judicial Conference, 2014
- “Rules of the Road: Michigan Auto Law,” People’s Law School, 2014
- “Preparing the Medical Professional for a Deposition,” Brain Injury Association of Michigan 2015 Legal Conference, 2015
- “Auto Law 101,” CPAN Advocacy Training Workshop, 2015
- “Auto No-Fault Update,” CPAN Town Hall, 2015
- “Overview of the Michigan No-Fault Law,” MANS Meeting 2015: Navigating a Changing Neurosurgical Landscape, 2015
- “Intersection: The Sharing Economy and the Law,” NALS Membership Meeting, 2015
- “Michigan Auto No-Fault Law Update,” Mary Free Bed, Spinal Cord Symposium, September 2023
- “Third-Party Threshold Litigation,” 3rd Annual No-Fault Summit (ICLE), 2016
- “Michigan Auto No-Fault for Medical Professionals,” Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital Spinal Cord Symposium, 2016
- “Multiple Threats: Auto No-Fault Law Update,” 31st Annual Western Michigan Brain Injury Network Symposium, 2016
- “The Enemy Within: Third-Party Mini Update,” Michigan Association for Justice Annual Meeting, 2016
- “Uber and Other Ridesharing Services,” MAJ No-Fault Institute, 2016
- “Proving Life Impact in Threshold Cases: Judicial References and Medical Research,” MAJ No-Fault Institute, 2016
- “Third-Party Threshold Litigation,” Institute for Continuing Litigation 4th Annual No-Fault Summit, 2017
- “Provider v. Patient Lawsuits: What Are the Rules?” Michigan Brain Injury Provider Council 2nd Annual Auto No-Fault Boot Camp, 2017
- “How Does Covenant Affect Existing Provider Cases?” Michigan Brain Injury Provider Council 2nd Annual Auto No-Fault Boot Camp, 2017
- “Third-Party Threshold Litigation,” Institute for Continuing Education No-Fault Institute, 2018
- “Workshop on Provider Litigation in the Post-Covenant World,” Michigan Brain Injury Provider Council 3rd Annual Auto No-Fault Boot Camp, 2018
- “The Ongoing Impact of the Supreme Court’s decision in Admire v Auto-Owners,” Michigan Brain Injury Provider Council 3rd Annual Auto No-Fault Boot Camp, 2018
- “Escape from Litigation Island,” Coalition Protecting Auto No-Fault Annual Meeting, 2018
- “Personal Injury Damages,” National Association for Legal Assistants Webinar “Covenant: One Year Later,” Michigan Adjusters Association, 2018
- “Development and Trial of a Negligent Entrustment Case,” Michigan Association for Justice No-Fault Institute, 2018
- “Peace at Last? Third-Party Auto 2019 Update,” ICLE No-Fault Summit, 2019
- Auto No-Fault Presentation – explained the new no-fault law to members of CPAN, 2019
- Auto No-Fault Presentation – shared changes to the state’s no-fault law to Teter Orthotics and Prosthetics Inc., 2019
- “Auto-Owners v. Compass Health,” MBIPC Bootcamp, 2019
- “The Current State of Auto No-Fault Insurance,” BIAMI Fall Conference, 2019
- “Michigan No-Fault Reform: Understanding the Controversy,” People’s Law School, 2019
- “Third-Party Threshold Litigation,” Institute for Continuing Education No-Fault Institute, 2020
- Auto No-Fault Presentation, Grand Rapids Round Table, March 2020
- “Michigan’s New Auto Insurance Law: The Bottom Line, Town Hall with CPAN, March 2020
- “2020 Changes to Michigan’s Auto Insurance Law” – virtual event cohosted with The Reno Agency, June 2020
- “PIP Options,” MAJ’s Virtual No-Fault Institute, October 2020
- “Third-Party Threshold Litigation,” Institute for Continuing Education No-Fault Institute, April 2021
- “No-Fault PIP Choice Options,” MBIPC Auto No-Fault Boot Camp, January 2021
- “Understanding the New Auto No-Fault Law,” MOPA Spring Seminar, June 2021
- “The PIP Opt-Out,” MAJ’s No-Fault Institute, October 2021
- “Auto Negligence/Tort Threshold Update,” MAJ’s No-Fault Institute, October 2021
- “Third-Party Threshold Litigation,” Institute for Continuing Education No-Fault Institute, April 2022
- “Michigan No-Fault Reform,” Michigan Guardianship Association 2022 Spring Conference
- Upper Michigan Legal Institue, June 2022
- “Auto Negligence & Tort Threshold,” Michigan Association of Justice N0-Fault Institute XIX, September 2022
- “Third-Party Threshold Litigation,” Institute for Continuing Education No-Fault Institute, April 2023
Honors
- Michigan Go-To Laywer Power List, Michigan Lawyers Weekly, 2023
- Distinguished Service, Heritage Hill Association, 2025
- 2023-present, Michigan Go-To Lawyers in Negligence Law, Michigan Lawyers Weekly
- 2024-present, Best Lawyers in America - Plaintiff's Personal Injury Litigation, Best Lawyers
- 2018-present, Leading Lawyer Michigan, Leading Lawyers
- 2019-present, Grand Rapids Top Lawyer, Grand Rapids Magazine
- Excellence Award, American Association for Justice, New Lawyers Division, 2008
- 2014-2016, Clients’ Choice Award, AVVO
- Prevention Award, Brain Injury Association of Michigan, 2016
- Up & Coming Lawyer, Michigan Lawyers Weekly, 2016
- 2015 – 2018, Michigan Rising Star, Super Lawyers
- 2019-present, Michigan Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
- Top 10 Plaintiff’s Personal Injury Lawyer, Leading Lawyers, 2020
- Best Personal Injury Attorney in Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids Magazine, 2021
- Best Brief Award, University of Minnesota Law School, 2004
Selections
8 Years Super Lawyers
4 Years Rising Stars
- Super Lawyers: 2019 - 2026
- Rising Stars: 2015 - 2018
