To put together this evidence-based 2026 list of Ottawa misdiagnosis lawyers, we checked what each firm handles against client reviews and professional recognition.
Our featured firm in Ottawa is Diamond & Diamond Lawyers LLP, where Jeremy Syrtash leads the medical malpractice group. When we reviewed Gluckstein LLP, its misdiagnosis work stood out because the firm has earned personal injury recognition over many years. Before you call, check who handles diagnostic-error claims, including whether the firm pays for the medical opinions needed to assess them. Can it check your Ontario limitation period quickly enough? Don't skip that.
Jeremy Syrtash leads the medical malpractice litigation practice at Diamond & Diamond Lawyers LLP. He earned a BA from Yeshiva University (2010) and a JD from the University of Ottawa (2013), was called to the Bar of Ontario in 2014, and has acted as counsel and co-counsel in medical malpractice cases across Canada, many involving pediatric and obstetrical negligence.
Called to the Bar of Ontario, 2014 · JD, University of Ottawa · Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Canada, Health Care Law (2024 to 2027)
If you're reading Gluckstein LLP's site about misdiagnosis, you'll also find birth injury information, including hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE). Your family could speak with the firm if the diagnostic care around delivery is what concerns you. Since opening in 1962, the firm has established an Ottawa office and lists Richard Halpern and David Lackman as senior counsel; its recognition includes Best Lawyers in Canada and Canadian Lawyer's Top 10 Personal Injury Law Firm in Canada.
Stood out in our review for its years of experience and the recognition it has earned.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
Tierney Stauffer LLP's clients repeatedly say the firm kept them informed. Its Google profile has 84 reviews and a 4.8 rating; reviewers often mention prompt responses and compassionate support. That feedback helps explain its position.
Stood out in our review for its years of experience and what its clients say.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
Not sure who to call first?
Tell us what happened. A malpractice lawyer who serves Ottawa can look at it with you, and it costs nothing.
Best for: Clients wanting plain-language explanations
Read Nelligan Law's quoted reviews carefully despite the useful size of its review record, since some describe employment disputes rather than patients' medical care. In its 294 Google reviews, clients often mention being given usable guidance, with explanations that didn't rely on legal jargon. One reviewer in an employment matter was disappointed by what remained of their payment once legal fees came out.
Stood out in our review for its years of experience and what its clients say.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
Best for: Clients seeking contingency representation
Soloway Wright LLP's work in Ottawa goes back to 1946, giving the firm a long local history. Medical malpractice is one of the practice areas on its site, where you'll also find information about misdiagnosis. Partner Tara M. Sweeney and associate Ryan Garrett are listed by the firm, which has received recognition from The Best Lawyers in Canada.
Stood out in our review for its years of experience and the recognition it has earned.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
Tell the lawyer during your first conversation what happened, including when you became aware of the possible injury. Those dates matter because Ontario uses a 2-year discovery rule. Ask the lawyer to check your deadline even if you don't yet have the complete chart.
Assess the medical questions
To assess the standard of care and causation, the lawyer must consider what care was expected and whether an error caused or contributed to the injury. How would they use your records to obtain medical opinions? Ask them.
Start the claim
To start an Ontario claim, you don't need an affidavit or certificate of merit. Checking the applicable limitation period is still the lawyer's job. If the claim is a child's, the deadline depends partly on whether there's a litigation guardian.
Serve expert reports
When a claim proceeds, the court's rules require service of expert reports that address the standard of care and causation. Rather than simply copying your treating doctor's chart, these reports give medical opinions that are used in the claim.
Assess resolution and losses
How might the claim be resolved? Ask how losses would be assessed, too. If you've lost income or have other economic losses, Ontario has no statutory cap on them. Non-pecuniary damages, though, fall under a national judge-made cap.
Malpractice claims in Ottawa: the rules that matter
The filing deadline in Ontario
The clock startsWhen you found out, or should have
Time to start a claim2 yearsMiss it and the claim is usually lost.
At the very most15 yearsafter the treatment, with a few exceptions
Limits on damages in Ontario
Pain and sufferingCapped at about $484,330
All damages togetherNo overall cap
Expert paperworkNo affidavit or certificate of merit is required to start a claim.
A written agreementThe share the lawyer takes, set out before work starts.
If you recover moneyThe agreed share and the case costs come out of it.
If the claim failsNo legal fee on a contingency agreement. Ask about costs.
Contingency fees are available at some firms listed here. If you agree to that arrangement, the lawyer gets a share of the recovery but no lawyer's fee if the claim fails. That doesn't cover case costs. Because those costs can include records and medical opinions as well as court fees, don't assume the firm will pay them without asking you to repay it. Who advances the money? Ask when you'll have to repay it, too. If there's no recovery, what happens? Before you sign, ask the firm to explain in writing how it would deduct its fee along with case costs. Also check whether you'll pay for the consultation.
Three firms on this list say you won't pay for consultations. Two firms say they offer contingency fees.
What to bring to your first call
Your written timeline showing when symptoms appeared and appointments happened, including diagnoses
When you first thought an error had caused harm, with dates
Who provided the health care, listed by name
Whatever charts or test results you already have, including any discharge notes
Letters about the care from a hospital or insurer
Bills and records that show how much income you lost because of the injury
Your notes on what you struggle with daily and what care you still need
Details of any litigation guardian if you're claiming for a child
Questions to ask a lawyer
1Have you handled claims like mine involving misdiagnosis or a delayed diagnosis?
2Who will read my records and be responsible for my file?
3What limitation period applies to me in these circumstances?
4To assess the care and resulting injury, how would you obtain medical opinions?
5Is there a charge for the first consultation?
6If the claim succeeds, how will you calculate your fee?
7If the claim fails, who pays case costs, and who pays while it's underway?
8When I have questions, who can I contact, and how will you send me updates?
Choose for your diagnostic problem
If the care worries you, make that your starting point rather than the firm's overall reputation. When you're checking what happened in a chart, a missed diagnosis may call for different questions than a diagnosis made too late. Every firm on this list mentions misdiagnosis on its site. Who reads your medical records? Find out, and ask what cases they've worked on that resemble yours.
Every listed firm has an Ottawa office, but you'll still need to find out who would handle your file. Would you keep speaking with the lawyer you first meet? Check this, and if you need French or Arabic (both listed by LMS), ask who can talk with you in that language.
Put the limitation period ahead of the shortlist
A child's deadline needs its own check. The 2-year period doesn't run if the child is under 18 without a litigation guardian appointed for the claim. If the claim arises in that situation, the ultimate period is suspended too. Rather than calculating the deadline yourself, tell the lawyer whether anyone has been appointed to act for your child.
Use the consultation to test the working relationship
How would the lawyer judge whether the diagnosis met the standard of care (the care expected in those circumstances)? Ask directly.
Ask how medical opinions would show whether the diagnostic error caused or contributed to the injury; that's the question of causation.
How long before you know whether the firm will take your case? Also ask how you'll hear from it once your file is accepted.
Ask who would pay the case costs if your claim failed, and get the lawyer's explanation before agreeing to fees.
When a consultation is free, you can discuss the claim without paying for that conversation. The firm hasn't necessarily agreed to take your case, though. If you agree to a contingency fee, the lawyer is paid from a recovery; ask whether you'll have to pay separately for records and medical reports. Before you sign, read what the written terms actually say.
Questions people ask
How long do I have to start a misdiagnosis claim in Ottawa?
Once you discover the claim, Ontario's basic 2-year limitation period starts. The test looks at when you knew, or reasonably ought to have known, about the injury and the provider's contribution, and that a lawsuit was appropriate. There's also a 15-year ultimate period under the Limitations Act, 2002. To check your dates and any rules that suspend the clock, ask an Ontario lawyer.
What should I do before choosing a lawyer?
When did the care happen, and when did you first connect the injury to a possible diagnostic error? Write that down. Gather whatever records you already have. While you wait for more records, don't put off discussing the deadline; ask an Ottawa lawyer who would review your chart and how the firm would assess the medical questions.
Do I need a medical certificate before starting a claim?
To start an Ontario malpractice claim, you don't have to provide an affidavit or certificate of merit. That doesn't remove the need to support your medical allegations. When the claim proceeds, the court's rules require service of expert reports addressing the standard of care and causation. Who would pay for those opinions? Ask how the lawyer would obtain them, too.
Is a missed diagnosis enough to establish malpractice?
To assess the claim, someone must consider both the standard of care and causation. The questions are whether the care met the expected standard, then whether an error caused the injury or contributed to it. Ask a lawyer to explain which medical opinions you'll need. Even if a firm lists misdiagnosis as a practice area, that doesn't tell you whether it considers your particular claim viable.
Can I speak to an Ottawa lawyer for free?
According to Gluckstein LLP and Tierney Stauffer LLP, consultations are free; LMS says the same. Before booking with Nelligan Law or Soloway Wright LLP, check because free-consultation information isn't available for either firm. Discussing your claim for free doesn't mean it's accepted. Once you've asked about the deadline and review process, clarify what costs you might face.
Will I owe legal fees if the claim fails?
If the claim fails under a contingency arrangement, the lawyer receives no lawyer's fee; otherwise, they take a share of any recovery. These arrangements are available, according to Soloway Wright LLP and LMS. That excludes expenses. Before you agree, ask the firm to put in writing whether you'll owe money for records or medical opinions, including court fees.
How long will a misdiagnosis claim take?
We can't give a supported estimate of how long your claim will take. Your lawyer has to check the medical questions, not just the court rules, because Ontario claims in practice require expert reports to proceed. How will you receive updates? Ask which steps your file would require, too. Don't confuse the 2-year filing limitation period with the time it takes to resolve the claim.
What deadline applies if my child was misdiagnosed?
While a claimant is under 18 and has no litigation guardian for the claim, the 2-year period doesn't run. If a claim arises while the child is a minor without a litigation guardian, the 15-year ultimate period is suspended too, as addressed in Wong v. Lui, 2023 ONCA 272. To assess your child's circumstances, speak with an Ontario lawyer.
Can I contact a lawyer if my loved one died after a delayed diagnosis?
Yes. Alongside misdiagnosis, the sites of Gluckstein LLP and Tierney Stauffer LLP list wrongful-death work; you'll find it on LMS's site too. You can't tell from those listings who can bring a claim in your circumstances. To find out whether you or someone else can pursue a claim, ask an Ontario lawyer to assess the care and limitation period.
Is there a limit on damages in an Ontario malpractice claim?
If you claim economic losses, such as lost income or future care, Ontario has no statutory cap. A national judge-made limit called the trilogy cap applies to non-pecuniary damages. Rather than financial expenses, these damages cover losses such as pain and suffering. Don't treat the caps as the value of an individual claim; ask a lawyer how the rules apply to the harm documented in your records.
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Jeremy Syrtash
