Representing Victims of Medical Malpractice Across Ontario

Category

Notable Cases

Notable Cases collects representative work from Paul Cahill’s medical malpractice and civil litigation practice. The archive includes two kinds of posts: reported decisions in which Paul appeared as counsel, with the neutral citation where one exists and a link to the underlying judgment; and summaries of significant cases that resolved by settlement, presented in de-identified form where confidentiality obligations require it.

Settlements account for the substantial majority of medical malpractice cases in Ontario. Most matters that proceed to litigation are resolved without a contested judgment, often through structured negotiation, mediation, or pre-trial discussion. A case that settles is not less significant than one that goes to judgment; it is simply resolved through a different procedural path. Settlement summaries in this archive identify the clinical context, the alleged breaches of the standard of care, and the injuries sustained, while respecting confidential information about the parties.

The category serves several audiences. Prospective clients can see the range of matters Paul has handled and the kinds of outcomes obtained, both at trial and at settlement. Lawyers and judicial researchers can use the reported decisions as a reference for Paul’s appellate and trial work. Journalists writing about medical malpractice in Ontario can identify counsel of record on cases of interest.

Past results in litigation do not predict the outcome of future cases. Each medical malpractice claim turns on its own facts, on the available expert evidence, and on the specific procedural posture at the time of resolution. The matters in this archive are presented as a matter of record and as a representation of the kinds of cases the practice handles.

25 articles View all articles →
Navy title card reading "Micallef v Distasio: Laser burns, ordinary negligence, and no expert report" from paulcahill.ca. Case comment on Micallef v Distasio, 2026 CanLII 87468 (ON SCSM), a $50,000 Small Claims Court award for laser hair removal burns proven without expert standard-of-care evidence. By Paul Cahill, LSO Certified Specialist in Civil Litigation.

Micallef v Distasio: Laser Burns, Ordinary Negligence, and a $50,000 Small Claims Judgment

A self-represented plaintiff recovered the full $50,000 Small Claims Court limit for burns and permanent pigmentation loss from a laser hair removal treatment, without an expert report on the standard of care. The Court reached that result by applying Ayana v Skin Klinic, the 2009 decision establishing that laser hair removal is not a medical procedure in Ontario. The defence bet that no plaintiff expert meant no case, and lost.

Read More »
Have a Case Like This?

Concerned about medical negligence?
Talk to Paul directly.

Free, confidential consultations. Paul reviews every potential case personally and tells you honestly whether it merits investigation.