Best Birth Injury Lawyers in Richmond Hill, ON (2026)
For this evidence-based 2026 list of Richmond Hill birth injury lawyers, we considered published results and practice focus, plus experience and client reviews.
Our featured firm in Richmond Hill is Diamond & Diamond Lawyers LLP, where Jeremy Syrtash leads the medical malpractice group. Among the firms we reviewed, Campisi Law stands out because it publishes injury recoveries and has a substantial record of client reviews. Before you call, check its birth injury experience. Ask who would handle your file and what the fees cover, including how you'd pay case costs. For the limitation period and rules on children's claims, see the Ontario law guide.
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)
Although some reviews report inconsistent communication, Campisi Law's clients often say they felt supported and knew what was happening. Families can read 370 Google reviews, a broader client record than they'd get from a handful of testimonials. Under Managing Partner Joseph Campisi, the firm's wider personal injury practice includes birth injury and wrongful death claims on its site.
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
Best for: Families seeking malpractice litigation experience
In Denman v. Radovanovic, 2024 ONCA 276, Thomson Rogers LLP cites a medical malpractice judgment that was upheld on appeal. That gives you a concrete litigation result. Still, the firm doesn't identify it as a birth injury case.
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 Richmond Hill can look at it with you, and it costs nothing.
For delayed delivery involving brain injury and cerebral palsy, Harte Law publishes birth injury settlements of $9.5 million and $9.2 million. In one account, fetal heart monitoring raised concerns during labour that was augmented with oxytocin. Delivery-room care is directly at issue in these examples.
Stood out in our review for how much of its work is medical malpractice and the results it publishes.
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
Gluckstein LLP's site covers HIE among its birth injury topics, along with cerebral palsy and Erb's palsy. The firm was founded in 1962. It has a Richmond Hill office and a wider personal injury practice, with Managing Partner Charles E. Gluckstein and Senior Counsel Richard Halpern among its listed lawyers.
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
While reviewing what happened, the lawyer checks the limitation period. Generally, you must start an Ontario claim within 2 years of discovery. If a parent has a separate claim, the lawyer should assess its rules as well as those for your child.
Records and medical assessment
When reviewing the medical records closely, the lawyer needs to consider whether care caused or contributed to the injury. Expert reports examine causation, meaning the connection between care and harm, as well as the standard of care (the care expected).
Starting the claim
To set out the lawsuit, you file a statement of claim. In Ontario, starting a claim doesn't require you to provide an affidavit or certificate of merit. Though you still need medical support, that doesn't change the deadline that applies to your claim.
Expert reports and losses
Under the court's rules, expert reports must be served. The losses you're seeking must also be addressed in the claim. For economic losses such as future care, Ontario sets no statutory cap. Non-pecuniary damages, though, are limited by a national judge-made cap.
Settlement or court decision
If your claim doesn't settle, it may need a court decision. While Harte Law publishes birth injury settlements, Thomson Rogers LLP cites a malpractice judgment that was upheld on appeal. Whatever route the claim takes, a lawyer can't promise that route or tell you what the result will be.
Malpractice claims in Richmond Hill: 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.
Under the contingency fees offered by Campisi Law, Harte Law and Bergel Magence LLP, the lawyer gets a share of any recovery but receives no legal fee if the claim fails. You can get a free consultation at every listed firm. Costs remain separate from fees. Don't assume the fee arrangement pays for obtaining records or medical opinions, or for court fees, which all count as case costs. While the case proceeds, who pays those expenses, and would they come out of a recovery? If the claim fails, you also need to know what you'd owe. Before you sign, get written terms for both fees and costs.
According to all six firms on this list, you can have a free consultation. Contingency work is offered by three.
What to bring to your first call
Delivery notes and any other medical records you have
When labour and delivery happened, and the dates concerns first arose
Who was involved in providing the health care
What happened, set out in a brief written timeline
Letters or messages you've received from the hospital or insurer
Receipts and bills relating to the injury or care
What care your child needs at present
Documents you have about a litigation guardian for the claim
Questions to ask a lawyer
1Have you handled birth injury claims like my child's, and which ones?
2When you take our file, who reviews the records and works on it?
3For our family's claims, what limitation period applies?
4When assessing the injury, how would you check whether medical care caused it?
5When we need updates, who can we contact and how?
6What would paying legal fees and separate case costs involve?
7If the claim fails, what would we owe?
8Where could we meet you?
Choosing a birth injury lawyer in Richmond Hill
Start with the lawyer's work. If your child's records raise concerns about a delivery delay or fetal heart monitoring, ask whether the lawyer has handled claims involving those issues. While Harte Law publishes delivery-related settlements, other firms list birth injury topics but don't publish comparable results. Neither a past settlement nor a label on a practice page tells you how your own claim will turn out.
Use the first conversation to test the fit
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Ask about comparable claims
Use plain language to describe what happened. When you discuss the delivery notes, ask who would review them and how the firm checks whether medical care caused the injury. Although Ontario doesn't require a certificate of merit to start a claim, its court rules require expert reports on care and causation to be served.
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Find out who will stay in touch
After intake, who will answer your questions, and how will you hear what's happening? Although reviews across this list praise communication, they also report delays. A first call can be helpful without giving you an agreed plan for keeping in touch as the file proceeds.
3
Confirm the office and fee terms
While some firms on this list have Richmond Hill offices, others work outside the city. Ask where you'd actually meet. Although a free consultation gives you time to discuss the claim, the firm hasn't necessarily accepted it or agreed to cover every case expense.
Get the contingency fee terms in writing, showing what share of any recovery goes to the lawyer and explaining separate case costs. If the claim fails, what would you owe?
If someone predicts a result without reading the records, be wary, including when they use a published settlement to forecast your child's result.
When a firm turns down the case, ask why it won't take it. You still need an answer about the limitation period. If intake hasn't answered, don't let that decide when you seek another opinion.
Questions people ask
How soon should I contact a birth injury lawyer in Richmond Hill?
To get the deadline assessed, contact a lawyer early enough. You shouldn't calculate it on your own. Although Ontario's basic limitation period is 2 years from discovery, discovery involves more than simply knowing that an injury occurred. Since every firm on this list offers a free consultation, you can ask an Ontario lawyer to explain which dates matter for your situation.
Does my child's claim have the same deadline as an adult's?
It might not. Until a claimant turns 18, the 2-year period doesn't run if there's 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 suspended too. That rule is addressed in Wong v. Lui, 2023 ONCA 272. To understand how these rules affect your child, speak with an Ontario lawyer.
Can we speak to a lawyer without paying for the first call?
You can have a free consultation, according to all six listed firms. When you call, ask what the firm needs to assess the claim and whether it handles your child's type of injury. Talking doesn't mean they'll represent you. If you're considering a later review, check whether you'll be charged before agreeing to it.
Will we have to pay legal fees if the claim fails?
Under the contingency arrangements described by Campisi Law, Harte Law and Bergel Magence LLP, the lawyer gets a share of any recovery but no legal fee if the claim fails. Expenses aren't included in fees. If there's no recovery, what would you owe, and who pays to obtain records and medical opinions or cover court fees?
What does a birth injury claim need to show?
When assessing the medicine, the review must consider whether care fell below the expected standard and whether that failure caused or contributed to the injury. Under Ontario court rules, expert reports addressing causation and the standard of care must be served. To start the claim, though, you don't need an affidavit or certificate of merit. Ask a lawyer to explain the medical support your case needs.
How long will a birth injury case take?
A lawyer shouldn't promise you a finish date, since there's no fixed length of time for a case. Before the firm can assess the claim, what needs to happen, including reviewing records and getting medical opinions? Clients in some reviews of these firms report prolonged delays or cases still unresolved. Whether things are moving or you're waiting, ask how the lawyer will explain what's happening with your claim.
Is there a limit on compensation for a child's future care?
For economic losses such as future care or lost income, Ontario doesn't set a statutory cap. Unlike those financial losses, non-pecuniary damages fall into a separate category that's limited by a national judge-made cap. Even without an economic-loss cap, a claim doesn't have an established value. To understand which losses may apply in your child's circumstances, ask an Ontario lawyer.
What should we do if our baby died after medical care?
To review the care and check the applicable limitation periods, speak with an Ontario lawyer. Among the firms listed here, Campisi Law and Harte Law include wrongful death claims on their sites. Along with a timeline, bring whatever records you have. Given your family's circumstances, the lawyer can explain who may bring a claim and whether a claim is possible.
Do we need to hire a firm with a Richmond Hill office?
You'll find firms with Richmond Hill offices on this list, as well as firms outside the city. While Campisi Law's office is in Woodbridge, Thomson Rogers LLP's is in Toronto. For Bergel Magence LLP, the office is in Oakville. Where would you go for the consultation and later meetings? You can't tell from an office address alone whether the lawyer has handled claims involving an injury like your child's.
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Jeremy Syrtash
