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Malpractice Center

Best Wrongful Death Lawyers in Ottawa, ON (2026)

We checked what Ottawa wrongful death lawyers handle and their published results, then weighed reviews and professional history for this evidence-based 2026 list.

Sources checked

5 lawyers and firms

Canadian Parliament Buildings in Ottawa
Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Arctic.gnome assumed (based on copyright cl, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

The short answer

Our featured firm in Ottawa is Diamond & Diamond Lawyers LLP, where Jeremy Syrtash leads the medical malpractice group. We put Gluckstein Lawyers first for its wrongful death work and personal injury honours (the firm dates to 1962). Have your questions ready before you call: who'd handle a death involving medical care, and how would the firm pay for expert reports? Find out how Ontario's limitation period affects the time left for your claim. You can check this region's rules in the Ontario law guide.

At a glance

  1. 1Diamond & Diamond Lawyers LLPJeremy SyrtashFeatured
  2. 2Gluckstein LLPFree consultation4.6 out of 5
  3. 3Tierney Stauffer LLPFree consultation4.8 out of 5
  4. 4Bergeron Clifford5.0 out of 5
  5. 5WVGB Law GroupFree consultation4.9 out of 5

Best Wrongful Death Lawyers in Ottawa

  1. Featured
  2. Gluckstein LLP logo2

    Gluckstein LLP

    4.637 Google reviewsRated 4.6 out of 5 on Google from 37 reviews

    Best for: Established medical negligence team

    Gluckstein Lawyers was founded in 1962; no firm here has a longer documented history. You'll find wrongful death work on its site, along with surgical errors and misdiagnosis. The firm's lawyers include senior counsel Richard Halpern and managing partner Charles E. Gluckstein; there's an Ottawa office as well.

    CallWebsiteFree case reviewIs this your firm?
    How they were picked

    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

  3. Tierney Stauffer LLP logo3

    Tierney Stauffer LLP

    4.884 Google reviewsRated 4.8 out of 5 on Google from 84 reviews

    Best for: Hospital and nursing home deaths

    You can read about hospital negligence on Tierney Stauffer LLP's site; it covers nursing home neglect too. Wrongful death appears on its site too. The firm has an Ottawa office (it was founded in 1982) and is recognised by Best Law Firms, Canada.

    CallWebsiteFree case reviewIs this your firm?
    How they were picked

    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

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  5. Bergeron Clifford logo4

    Bergeron Clifford

    5.0185 Google reviewsRated 5.0 out of 5 on Google from 185 reviews

    Best for: Families prioritising clear communication

    Bergeron Clifford Injury Lawyers has more reviews than any firm here (185); its Google rating is 5. The team's updates come up often in reviews, where clients say its explanations of the proceedings make sense. One reviewer makes a point of saying the firm didn't promise more than it could deliver.

    CallWebsiteFree case reviewIs this your firm?
    How they were picked

    Stood out in our review for the recognition it has earned 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

  6. WVGB Law Group logo5

    WVGB Law Group

    4.968 Google reviewsRated 4.9 out of 5 on Google from 68 reviews

    Best for: English or French speaking families

    WVGB Personal Injury Lawyers reports a medical malpractice case involving surgery, with total compensation of $485,000. That's the actual compensation. The case isn't identified as wrongful death; that amount can't tell you what another claim could achieve.

    CallWebsiteFree case reviewIs this your firm?
    How they were picked

    Stood out in our review for what its clients say and how much of its work is medical malpractice.

    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

Where they are in Ottawa

What clients say about these Ottawa lawyers

Google reviews of the firms on our lists, quoted as their clients wrote them and linked to where they were posted. We don't write, edit or pick reviews for pay.

  • Rick F.

    October 2026 · Ottawa, Ontario

    “Great team of professionals and excellent knowledge from our lawyer Warren. Helped guide us through the most difficult times. There are so many things a family doesn’t know when it comes to dealing with a catastrophic injury. Warren was so clear on the options ahead of us and how they would impact the settlement...”

    About Bergeron CliffordGoogle reviewRead it on Google

  • Belinda W.

    August 2025 · Ottawa, Ontario

    “What a long journey I had to go through with this firm and my experience, but things finally wrapped up recently, and I am so grateful for the final outcome. In 2018 I had a very bad fall on my face onto concrete. It was a long and extensive recovery for me to get back to my former self with much suffering from the...”

    About Quinn Thiele Mineault Grodzki LLPGoogle reviewRead it on Google

  • Andrea K.

    March 2026 · Ottawa, Ontario

    “All the praises go out the the team at Gluckstein Personal Injury Lawyers. My sister started the file with you as I was unable to communicate. Thank you for working with her and getting my file started right away, until I was able to work with the TEAM. Gluckstein worked very hard and making sure I was compensated...”

    About Gluckstein LLPGoogle reviewRead it on Google
See all reviews
How a malpractice claim usually moves in Ontario

  1. 1.Something went wrong

    Write down dates and names while they're fresh.

  2. 2.Get your records

    Ask for your full chart and test results.

  3. 3.Free case review

    A lawyer looks at what happened, free.

  4. 4.Medical opinion

    A doctor checks whether the care fell short.

  5. 5.Start the claim in time

    Your lawyer starts the claim before the deadline.

  6. 6.Settlement or trial

    Many claims settle. Some go to a judge or jury.

Your deadline: 2 years from when you found outRead the Ontario law guide

Malpractice claims in Ottawa: the rules that matter

The filing deadline in Ontario
  1. The clock startsWhen you found out, or should have
  2. Time to start a claim2 yearsMiss it and the claim is usually lost.
  3. 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.

Read the Ontario law guideWork out your own deadline

Basic limitation period in Ontario
2 years
Source
Ultimate limitation period
15 years
Source

Choosing an Ottawa lawyer after a death involving medical care

The care involved should guide your choice, not the firm's place on this list. Because surgery and nursing home neglect raise different questions after a death, ask whether the lawyer assigned to your file has dealt with that kind of care. Although their wider practices differ, each of these firms shows wrongful death work.

Make the first conversation useful

  1. Describe the treatment and timing

    Give the lawyer the dates you know, explaining what made you suspect the care contributed to the death. Ask about the records they need (the chart or surgical notes, for example). Before you call, you don't have to shape your concerns into a legal argument.

  2. Ask how the case would be assessed

    Starting an Ontario claim doesn't require you to have an affidavit or certificate of merit. The court's rules still require you, in practice, to serve expert reports on the standard of care and causation. Ask who'd arrange the reports, then find out how their cost would be handled.

  3. Identify your working contact

    Ask who'd review the records, then find out who would answer your calls afterwards. Communication patterns can emerge in reviews. Because reviews don't show whether a lawyer has handled a death involving the same treatment, ask them to explain their relevant experience without expecting another client's private details.

Clarify the cost before signing

A free consultation gives you a first discussion. Offering it doesn't mean the firm will accept your claim or represent you for free. When a firm offers contingency fees, ask it to explain how the result affects the fee and which other expenses the agreement covers. Firms listing contingency fees include WVGB Personal Injury Lawyers, David Hollingsworth and Associates, and Quinn Thiele Mineault Grodzki LLP. Don't count on them at the other firms.

If someone promises a result before reviewing the care, be wary of them. A published settlement reflects someone else's circumstances, not yours; favourable reviews still don't prove negligence. If the firm is slow at intake, ask directly whether it's assessing your claim, then find out what to do about the deadline. Don't take an unanswered enquiry to mean a lawyer has accepted responsibility for filing.

Questions people ask

Which Ottawa firm leads this wrongful death list?
Gluckstein Lawyers is first. Its documented history dates to 1962, with wrongful death and medical negligence work shown on its site. Canadian Lawyer and Best Lawyers in Canada also recognise the firm for personal injury work. Because the ranking can't establish a fit for every family, ask which lawyer would assess the treatment involved, then find out how the firm would keep you informed during that review.
How long do I have to start a medical negligence claim after a death in Ottawa?
Discovery starts Ontario's basic period of 2 years. Discovery depends on when you knew, or reasonably ought to have known, about the injury and the health care provider's contribution, including whether a lawsuit was appropriate. There's also a 15-year ultimate period. The clock doesn't always start on the date of death; ask a lawyer in Ontario to explain how the limitation rules apply to your particular claim.
Do I need a medical expert report before contacting a lawyer?
You can start an Ontario claim without an affidavit or certificate of merit. In practice, the court's rules require service of expert reports that address the standard of care and causation. Have the lawyer explain how they'd assess the records and arrange those reports. Although WVGB Personal Injury Lawyers lists a surgical malpractice result, that alone doesn't tell you whether your family's claim is viable.
Do these Ottawa firms offer free consultations or contingency fees?
Gluckstein Lawyers, Tierney Stauffer LLP, WVGB Personal Injury Lawyers, David Hollingsworth and Associates, and Quinn Thiele Mineault Grodzki LLP all list free consultations. The latter three list contingency fees, too. We haven't confirmed Bergeron Clifford Injury Lawyers' arrangements for consultations or fees. Before agreeing to representation, ask the firm to explain its terms, including how it would handle expert report expenses and what happens if it doesn't proceed.
Does a child's claim have the same two-year deadline?
Ontario's 2-year period doesn't run if the claimant is under 18 and has no litigation guardian for the claim. If a claim arises while the claimant is a minor without a litigation guardian, the 15-year ultimate period is also suspended, as addressed in Wong v. Lui, 2023 ONCA 272. That doesn't mean every family member's claim is protected. Ask an Ontario lawyer to explain whose deadline is affected.

Sources

  1. Limitations Act, 2002, S.O. 2002, c. 24, Sched. B, Government of Ontario (e-Laws)
  2. Claims from minors and the 15-year ultimate limitation period in Ontario, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
  3. Non-Pecuniary Damages Upper Limits (monthly indexed figures, 2024 to 2026), McKellar Structured Settlements
  4. Key Numbers for 2025 (trilogy cap and indexation), McCague Borlack LLP
  5. Malpractice Center methodology, Malpractice Center

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