Can I sue my Canadian Veterinary Clinic for medical malpractice? Where do I find lawyers in this field?

[vemados]

My cat was disabled due to the negligence of a veterinarian. Another veterinarian (second opinion) corroborated this. I don't see much information within Canada for veterinary malpractice and can't find any lawyers. Any help would be appreciated!

[barnett]

You can sue them. However, in Canada, pets are property. Their value is limited to their replacement cost. You can't sue for your pain or suffering or that of the animal. Thus, the maximum you can sue for is the value of the pet. A normal cat which you can get from the pound is worth about $50 while a show animal with papers maybe a few thousand. You might be able to add the cost of the surgery to the lawsuit.

No lawyer will take your case since the issue would need to be delt with in small claims court.

Finally, Canada has a loser-pays court system. If you sue someone for something silly and lose, the judge can require you to pay either their defense costs and/or the court costs.