Suffering an injury due to medical malpractice can be a devastating experience. In addition to the physical and emotional pain, there can be financial and legal consequences to deal with as well. If you have been injured in a medical malpractice case in Ottawa, it is important to know your rights and take appropriate steps to protect yourself. We have compiled a guide to help you understand what to do if you have been injured in a medical malpractice case in Ottawa.   Step 1: Seek Medical Attention   The first and most important step if you have been injured due to medical malpractic ..read more

The coroner and the College of Physicians and Surgeons (CPSO) say that mistakes were made, and surprisingly the hospital and doctor admit it!  But then, their lawyers from the CMPA say it’s not negligence, and they don’t owe you anything?! Huh?  Maybe. I can’t tell you how many injured people and families I meet with that find themselves in this difficult circumstance.  It is incredibly frustrating to know and to feel with all your heart that a doctor or nurse failed to do the things they should have done, only to find out that this is only half the battle, and doesn’t even get ..read more

LITTLE PEOPLE and BIG CLAIMS I sat in the corner of the dentist exam room last week with my 5 year old son.  He was in the exam chair and the business end of the appointment was about to begin (having yet another slowly dying tooth pulled after an Olympic face-dive off of our trampoline two years ago).  As I sat there the dentist readied his implements, and the hygienist leaned over my supine young lad and said, “do you want cherry, strawberry, or caramel?” – to which my son replied very calmly in his sweet high pitched voice – “ummm, I don’t even know what we are doing.” My boy clea ..read more

In the recent medical malpractice decision of Heikamp v. Renfrew Victoria Hospital et al., 2022 ONSC 780, Bergeron Clifford LLP partners Warren WhiteKnight and Joe Dart earned an important victory for their client, Dianne Heikamp.   What Happened in this Medical Malpractice Case?   Ms. Heikamp (the plaintiff) fell in her barn while trying to dust, landed on her left arm and suffered a fracture to her left wrist. She attended the same day (a Friday) at the Renfrew Victoria Hospital (“RVH”). X-rays were completed (which revealed the fracture), she was casted and she was discharg ..read more

Medical malpractice is the most complicated type of litigation there is, and causation is the most complicated part of any malpractice case. Thus causation is the piece of a case most likely to cause a plaintiff (an injured person or their family) to lose their case. Given how hard the issue of causation can be, the recent win in the case of Hacopian-Armen Estate v Mahmoud from the Court of Appeal (the highest court in Ontario) was a big deal. What is Causation?  Causation is the legal principle that the loss complained of must be connected to a breach of the standard of care by ..read more

The internet has become fertile ground for consumers to post about their positive and negative experiences with local businesses.  Websites such as Google and Yelp are designed to give customers a taste of a business before they attend or try the service themselves.   People may think they can post reviews with immunity.  A recent decision from British Columbia tells us otherwise.  Rosa Campagne Deck underwent breast augmentation surgery with Dr. Brian Peterson, a plastic surgeon.  She was unhappy with the outcome and posted her dissatisfaction on her personal blo ..read more