Best Medical Malpractice Lawyers in Honolulu, HI (2026)
Published results and practice focus guide this evidence-based 2026 list of Honolulu malpractice lawyers. The choices also reflect what clients say in reviews.
The first firm listed is Turbin Chu Heidt Attorneys at Law. Among its published malpractice results is a $15 million birth injury recovery. If you're considering a call, check whether the firm handles your kind of injury and ask who would review your medical records. For the filing deadline and physician consultation requirement, see the Hawaii law guide.
4.856 Google reviewsRated 4.8 out of 5 on Google from 56 reviews
Best for: Birth injury and delayed diagnosis
A $15 million birth injury result appears in Turbin Chu Heidt Attorneys at Law's published malpractice record. Alongside a $10 million medical malpractice result, its site lists $2.7 million for delayed diagnosis and failure to treat. The firm earns its place here through those recoveries, and it also handles medication mistakes and surgical injuries.
Stood out in our review for the results it publishes 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
5.027 Google reviewsRated 5.0 out of 5 on Google from 27 reviews
Best for: Birth injury and HIE claims
No other firm on this list has as narrow a focus as SRB Hawaii Law. Medical malpractice and birth injuries anchor its site, with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and brachial plexus injuries among the conditions covered. The birth injury lawyer it names is Stephen Brzezinski.
Stood out in our review for how much of its work is medical malpractice 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
4.8380 Google reviewsRated 4.8 out of 5 on Google from 380 reviews
Best for: Delayed C-section injury claims
A birth injury verdict appears on Morgan & Morgan's site with specific details. After a delayed C-section left Brendan Dixon with severe brain injury, a Hillsborough County jury awarded $37.8 million in 2007. The family's lawyers were Armando Lauritano and Keith Carter.
Stood out in our review for what its clients say 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
Not sure who to call first?
Tell us what happened. A malpractice lawyer who serves Honolulu can look at it with you, and it costs nothing.
5.058 Google reviewsRated 5.0 out of 5 on Google from 58 reviews
Best for: Delayed treatment and surgical injuries
Delayed cardiovascular treatment and an amputation after delayed care appear among the malpractice results Mattoch & Kirley describes. Injuries during a hysterectomy appear in its descriptions too. Although these descriptions don't give recovery amounts, they let families see the kinds of medical harm the firm has handled.
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
4.822 Google reviewsRated 4.8 out of 5 on Google from 22 reviews
Best for: Hospital negligence and treatment errors
Medical malpractice results of $600,000 and $850,000 appear on the site of Law Office of Jon S. Jacobs, LLLC, which names Jon S. Jacobs as its attorney. It gives specific amounts. It leaves out case details.
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 Honolulu
What clients say about these Honolulu 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.
TL
Tiffany L.
October 2025 · Honolulu, Hawaii
“I can’t thank Mr. Richard Turbin, Janice, and Malia at TURBIN CHU HEIDT, Attorneys at Law enough for all their help after my car accident. My car was totaled, and I was completely overwhelmed with the insurance process, but they handled everything with professionalism, patience, and compassion.
They kept me updated...”
“We had a totally positive experience with Leavitt, Yamane & Soldner in every way. From our initial contact with intake paralegal Judy Miller through all of our extensive dealings with Stuart, Tris, and Ana, our case was handled with the utmost professionalism, courtesy, respect, and aloha.
We enthusiastically and...”
“I am truly grateful for the exceptional support Scott Mattoch and Jill Haworth provided throughout my case. From the start, they were dedicated, professional, and genuinely caring, making a stressful situation feel manageable. Their clear guidance and steady communication gave me real peace of mind. I couldn’t have...”
When you talk with a Hawaii lawyer, give the treatment date and when you discovered the injury. Although the general deadline is 2 years from discovery or reasonable discovery, the outer limit is 6 years after the act or omission. For children's claims, the rules differ.
Review the medical records
To assess a possible malpractice claim, the lawyer reviews the care you received. Before that review, ask which records are needed and who obtains them. Even if the firm agrees to review your chart, it isn't promising to take your case or recover money.
Consult a physician
When submitting Hawaii's panel inquiry, you must include a certificate stating that the patient or lawyer consulted a physician in the same specialty and concluded there is a reasonable and meritorious cause. Exceptions apply if the deadline is near. Have the lawyer explain how those exceptions affect your situation.
Address the panel and filing
Before filing your complaint (the document that brings your claim to court), ask how the panel inquiry fits into that process. Don't lose sight of the filing deadline. A medical review doesn't mean you can assume you'll have extra time.
Consider resolution
Ask what a possible resolution would address if your claim proceeds, including how fees and expenses would be paid. Under Hawaii's general tort cap, pain and suffering is limited to $375,000. To understand how that limit applies to your claim, ask a lawyer.
Malpractice claims in Honolulu: the rules that matter
The filing deadline in Hawaii
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 most6 yearsafter the treatment, with a few exceptions
Limits on damages in Hawaii
Pain and sufferingCapped at $375,000
All damages togetherNo overall cap
Expert paperworkThe panel inquiry must include a certificate of consultation stating the patient or lawyer consulted a physician in the same specialty and concluded there is a reasonable and meritorious cause, with exceptions when the deadline is near.
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 arrangements described by five listed firms, the lawyer gets a share of any recovery but no attorney fee if the claim fails. A free consultation is offered by all. Costs are billed separately. Besides medical records and physician opinions, those costs include fees charged by the court. Even if there's no attorney fee, you still need to know who pays those expenses. If the firm advances the costs, ask whether you'd need to repay them even when the claim fails. Before agreeing, find out whether costs are deducted before or after the attorney's share. Because the firms' stated arrangements don't show a uniform policy for expenses, have your firm put its terms in writing.
According to all seven listed firms, consultations are free. Working on contingency is also stated by five.
What to bring to your first call
Delivery or surgery notes, along with any other medical records you have
When you received treatment and first learned of the injury
Names of treating providers and the hospital's name
Receipts for injury-related expenses, along with your medical bills
Letters or messages you received from the hospital or insurer
If you have photos of the injury, those photos
Notes on changes in daily life within a brief written timeline
The child's birth date and age when treated, if the claim is for a child
Questions to ask a lawyer
1If a claim involved my treatment or injury, have you handled one like it?
2If I have questions about my file, which attorney handles them?
3Before deciding whether to take my case, which records do you need?
4For Hawaii's required physician consultation, how would you arrange it?
5Given my situation, when is the filing deadline?
6What calculation determines the contingency fee you charge?
7If we don't recover anything, who pays case expenses?
8As my claim moves forward, how will I get updates?
Choosing a Honolulu malpractice lawyer
Rather than starting with the firm's largest recovery, explain what happened during treatment. If diagnosis was delayed, the medical review may differ from one for an injury during delivery. Before the lawyer decides to investigate, ask about their work involving that treatment and which records they'll need to see. Although published results give useful background, they can't establish what happened during your care.
Make the first conversation useful
1
Describe the injury plainly
When you give the treatment date, explain when you first learned something might be wrong and what changed in daily life after the injury. Name the facility and treating provider if you received care at Kaiser Foundation Hospital, Kuakini Medical Center or another Honolulu hospital.
2
Ask who will handle the file
Before proceeding, find out which attorney reviews your claim and who answers routine questions. An office in the Honolulu area is listed by Morgan & Morgan. Don't assume the lawyers from the published Hillsborough County verdict would take your case; ask about the firm's Hawaii team.
3
Discuss the medical review
When you submit Hawaii's panel inquiry, it requires a certificate documenting consultation with a physician in the same specialty, with exceptions near the deadline. Before proceeding, ask how the lawyer arranges that consultation and what the physician needs to assess.
According to all the listed firms, they offer a free consultation. Although you can ask about an initial review without a consultation charge, that conversation doesn't mean the firm has agreed to take your case. If payment depends on a recovery, find out what share goes to the lawyer and whether you'll pay case expenses separately. Before you sign, have the firm put those terms in writing.
If the firm declines your claim or it fails, ask who pays the costs of medical records and physician opinions.
If someone promises a particular recovery, be wary. Your claim's worth isn't established by past results.
If fee questions go unanswered, or nobody explains who is responsible for your file, notice that. While reviews can flag communication problems, listen closely during your own conversation too.
If a firm declines, ask whether the decision reflects its case criteria or a concern about the claim itself. Leavitt, Yamane & Soldner's feedback suggests it may decline less catastrophic malpractice cases. Another Hawaii lawyer can assess your circumstances, but don't let repeated inquiries consume the filing window.
Questions people ask
How long do I have to file a medical malpractice claim in Honolulu?
Once you discovered or reasonably should have discovered the injury, Hawaii generally gives you 2 years to file, but never more than 6 years after the act or omission. If the harm only becomes clear later, it can be hard to work out those dates. To understand how the rules apply, ask a Hawaii lawyer. Before every record arrives, you can still ask about the deadline.
Which listed firm focuses most closely on birth injuries?
Medical malpractice and birth injuries, including HIE and cerebral palsy, are the focus of SRB Hawaii Law's practice. A $15 million birth injury result is published by Turbin Chu Heidt Attorneys at Law. Although Morgan & Morgan also publishes a delayed C-section verdict, that case took place in Hillsborough County rather than Honolulu. Before choosing, ask each firm about claims like your child's and who would manage the file.
Can I speak with a Honolulu malpractice lawyer for free?
According to all seven listed firms, you can have a free consultation. After explaining what happened during that conversation, ask whether the firm will look through your medical records. Even after the consultation, the firm hasn't committed to representing you. Before the firm starts further work, find out what might create a charge and request written terms for attorney fees and case expenses.
Will I owe attorney fees if my claim fails?
Under the contingency arrangements described by five listed firms, a lawyer takes a share of a recovery but receives no attorney fee when the claim fails. No contingency arrangement is stated by SRB Hawaii Law or Law Office of Jon S. Jacobs, LLLC. Expenses aren't included. If there's no recovery, would you still owe case expenses? Ask each firm.
What medical review does Hawaii require?
When submitting Hawaii's panel inquiry, you must include a consultation certificate. To meet the requirement, the certificate states that the patient or lawyer consulted a physician in the same specialty and concluded there is a reasonable and meritorious cause for the claim. When the deadline is near, exceptions apply. Before you try to file, have a Hawaii lawyer explain how you must meet the consultation and certificate requirements.
Are the filing rules different for a child?
Yes. Although a minor must sue within 6 years of the act, a child under 10 has until the later of 6 years or the tenth birthday. If a parent, guardian, insurer or provider engages in fraud, gross negligence or collusion, time also pauses during that conduct. To understand how the rules apply to your child, have a Hawaii lawyer carefully review the dates.
Is there a limit on medical malpractice damages in Hawaii?
As in other tort cases, pain and suffering in medical malpractice cases is limited to $375,000 under Hawaii's general tort cap. Your claim's value isn't predicted by that figure. Nor does the cap explain every possible category of damages. To understand what the cap covers in your situation, ask a Hawaii lawyer how it applies and how injury-related losses would be assessed.
How long will a malpractice claim take?
You won't find a set timetable for completing a claim. Although reviews of The Law Office of James J. Stone describe a long process in one account, that doesn't tell you how long another family's case will take. Before proceeding, have the lawyer explain what happens next, including the medical review and panel inquiry. While you're talking, ask how you'll get updates. Don't confuse the filing deadline with the time needed to resolve a claim; they're separate.
What should I do if a loved one died after medical treatment?
Promptly contact a Hawaii lawyer. When you give the treatment dates, explain when your family first learned of possible harm. Among several listed firms handling wrongful death is Mattoch & Kirley, which describes a death after delayed cardiovascular treatment. Before proceeding, find out who can bring a claim and which deadline applies. Rather than assuming the general deadline answers every question, have a lawyer assess who can file and when for your family.
