Torrance Memorial Medical Center Birth Injury Lawyers

Torrance Memorial Medical Center is a private nonprofit hospital at 3330 Lomita Boulevard in Torrance, in Los Angeles County. According to the hospital's 2024 report to the state (HCAI), its newborn nursery cared for 2,181 babies that year, and it is licensed for 25 intensive-care newborn (NICU) beds. Thousands of South Bay families have welcomed a child there, and the large majority of those births go well.

This page is for the small number of families who have questions after a difficult delivery: a baby who needed resuscitation or a NICU stay, a child whose development seems behind, a diagnosis such as cerebral palsy or a brachial plexus injury, or a mother who was seriously hurt during childbirth. It is not about blaming anyone. It explains, in plain words, what these conditions are, what warning signs to watch for, how an independent review of a delivery works, and what steps a family can take.

Nothing here says that anything went wrong at any hospital. Every birth is different, and only a careful look at the actual medical records can tell a family what happened. If you read this page and still have questions, you are not alone, and you can ask them without any pressure.

Labor and delivery at Torrance Memorial Medical Center

Torrance Memorial's own website lists labor and delivery as part of its Maternity & Child Health services, so families can still deliver there today. The hospital's pages describe private labor rooms, an in-house team of obstetric hospitalists (called laborists), and anesthesiologists available around the clock. The hospital also describes itself as a Level III maternal care facility, a designation it says covers more complex pregnancies. These are the hospital's own descriptions, and families should confirm current details with the hospital.

The hospital also has a neonatal intensive care unit. According to the hospital's 2024 report to the state (HCAI), it is licensed for 25 NICU beds and had 268 NICU discharges, and its newborn nursery cared for 2,181 babies. The hospital's own NICU page describes the unit as Level III. A NICU is where babies born early, very small, or with breathing, infection or other problems get close monitoring and specialized care.

The state lists Torrance Memorial as operated by a non-profit corporation. That matters later, because a private nonprofit hospital is generally treated differently from a county or University of California hospital when it comes to claim deadlines. The hospital's main phone number is 310-325-9110.

Birth injuries families ask about after a difficult delivery

Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is brain injury from reduced oxygen and blood flow around the time of birth. Doctors may treat eligible babies with whole-body cooling in the NICU, and babies with HIE are watched closely for seizures and feeding problems. HIE can sometimes lead to lasting problems such as cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy is a group of conditions that affect movement, muscle tone and posture. The CDC and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) explain that it is caused by abnormal brain development or brain damage that happens before, during or soon after birth, and that in many children the exact cause is never identified.

Brachial plexus injuries, often called Erb's palsy, happen when the nerves that run from the neck to the arm are stretched during birth. NINDS notes that many babies recover within the first months of life, while more serious nerve tears may need surgery. Other injuries families ask about include broken collarbones (clavicle fractures) and skull fractures, bleeding in the newborn's brain, and serious infections such as group B strep (GBS) that can be passed from mother to baby around delivery.

Mothers can be injured, too. Heavy bleeding after delivery (postpartum hemorrhage), severe tearing, infection and complications of a cesarean section can all have long recoveries. These are general medical facts. Many of these conditions happen even when everyone does everything right, which is why the next steps in this guide focus on understanding, not on assumptions.

Warning signs of a birth injury in the first days, weeks and months

In the first days, parents sometimes notice that a baby is very floppy or very stiff, does not cry strongly, has trouble feeding or swallowing, has seizures (rhythmic jerking, staring, or lip smacking), or needs help breathing. A baby who is moved to the NICU, needs cooling treatment, or has a low Apgar score at 5 or 10 minutes deserves a clear explanation from the care team. An arm that does not move on one side, or a baby who cries when a collarbone is touched, should be examined right away.

In the first weeks and months, watch for missed milestones. The CDC's developmental milestone checklists suggest that by about 2 to 4 months most babies are following objects with their eyes, smiling, holding their head up and bringing hands together. Persistent fisting of the hands, a strong preference for one side of the body, arching of the back, stiffness or floppiness, or trouble feeding can be early signs of cerebral palsy or another condition.

Not every delay is a birth injury, and many children catch up. The best step is always to tell your pediatrician what you see and ask for a developmental screening or a referral to a specialist. Write down dates and what you noticed. Those notes can be useful for doctors now and for any later review.

Who may be responsible in a birth injury claim?

In a California birth injury claim, many people may have been part of the care: the nurses and other staff who monitored mother and baby, the obstetrician or midwife, the anesthesia team, the pediatrician or neonatologist, and sometimes a medical group that employs the doctors. Whether any of them may be responsible depends entirely on what the records show and on what a qualified expert says about the standard of care.

One question that often surprises families is who employed whom. At many hospitals, nurses and staff are hospital employees, while some physicians are independent doctors who have privileges to deliver patients at the hospital but work through their own practice or medical group. Because of that, a claim can involve more than one party, and the people who may be responsible are not always the same people the family dealt with at the bedside.

Sorting this out is part of a legal review, not something a family should have to do alone. A family should also know that sending a hospital to a lawyer's office is not an accusation. It is simply how a claim is properly evaluated.

How an independent expert review of a delivery works

A careful review starts with the complete chart. It usually includes the prenatal records, the labor and delivery notes, the fetal heart monitoring strips (the long paper or electronic tracings of the baby's heartbeat during labor), the Apgar scores, umbilical cord blood gas results that measure acid and oxygen levels at birth, the NICU notes, and any brain imaging such as MRI. Together they create a timeline of the labor and the baby's first hours.

Independent specialists, often an obstetrician, a neonatologist, a nurse expert in fetal monitoring, and a pediatric neurologist, then read the records separately from the hospital. They ask whether the care met accepted standards, and, just as important, whether any departure from those standards actually caused the child's condition. Sometimes the answer is that it did not, and the family receives a clear explanation. Sometimes the experts find that questions deserve a closer look.

California law adds required steps to a medical negligence case, including written notice to the provider before a lawsuit and, later, strict deadlines. Those steps are covered in the legal sections below. A review of the records does not commit a family to filing anything.

What to do now: step by step after a birth injury

First, take care of your child and yourself. Keep every appointment, follow the doctors' treatment plans and ask the care team to explain the diagnosis in plain words. Second, start a folder: discharge papers, test results, bills, insurance letters and a simple diary of symptoms and appointments. Do not post details about your child's condition or your questions on social media.

Third, request the full medical records for both mother and baby. Ask specifically for the fetal monitoring strips, nursing notes and NICU records, because those are not always sent unless requested. Fourth, ask for a developmental evaluation so your child can get help early, whatever the cause. Fifth, speak with a lawyer who handles birth injury cases early. Some deadlines, including a six-month claim deadline when a public hospital is involved, are short and easy to miss, and the child's own deadline is not the only one that applies.

Talking to a lawyer is a way to get information. A good first conversation costs nothing and should leave you with a clearer idea of your options, whether or not a case is filed.

Support while your family's case is reviewed: therapy, regional center, Medi-Cal and CCS

A child's care should not wait for a legal question to be answered. Early Start, run through California's regional centers, offers evaluations and services to infants and toddlers under 3 who have delays or certain risk factors. Services can include physical, occupational and speech therapy, and help for parents learning to support their child.

Families may also qualify for Medi-Cal and for California Children's Services (CCS), a state program that helps children with certain serious medical conditions get specialty care. Eligibility depends on income, diagnosis and other factors, so ask your pediatrician or the program directly. Children's hospitals and university programs often have social workers who can help families navigate coverage, equipment and school services.

Nobody can promise what a review will find or what a case may be worth. What families can do now is build the support network and record trail that will help their child, whatever happens next.

Deadlines for a birth-injury case in California

California gives a child’s birth-injury case its own deadline. Under Code of Civil Procedure § 340.5, a minor must sue within three years of the wrongful act, but a child who was under six when it happened has until his or her eighth birthday if that is longer. For a baby hurt during labor or delivery, that usually means the eighth birthday. The clock runs from the act itself, not from the day the family learned what went wrong, and it is paused only in narrow cases of fraud or collusion. Parents’ own claims, and claims against a public hospital, can have much shorter deadlines, so it is safer to get advice early.

Before a medical malpractice lawsuit can be filed in California, the doctor or hospital must get written warning. Under Code of Civil Procedure § 364, the health care provider must receive at least 90 days’ notice of the intention to sue. No special form is required, but the notice must state the legal basis of the claim, the type of loss and the specific injuries suffered. Under § 364(d), if the notice is served within the last 90 days of the filing deadline, the deadline is extended 90 days from the date of service. The notice is a required step, and it is often the moment a case moves from questions to formal action.

What MICRA caps — and what it does not

California’s MICRA law limits one part of a medical malpractice recovery. Under Civil Code § 3333.2, as amended by AB 35, non-economic damages (pain, suffering, loss of enjoyment of life) are capped. In 2026 the cap is $470,000 for injury and $650,000 for wrongful death, and it rises every January 1 ($40,000 and $50,000 a year until 2033, then 2% a year). Separate caps can apply to doctors, hospitals and unaffiliated providers. Economic damages are not capped: lifetime medical care, therapy, equipment, home modifications and lost earning capacity can be recovered in full, and in a birth-injury case they are usually the largest part of the claim.

How to get the delivery records from Torrance Memorial Medical Center

California law gives families a right to these records. Under Health and Safety Code § 123110, a patient or the patient’s personal representative — for a baby, a parent or guardian (§ 123105) — may inspect the records within five working days of a written request and is entitled to a paper or electronic copy, which the provider must send within 15 days after receiving a request that says which records are wanted. For a birth-injury review, ask for both charts: the mother’s labor and delivery record, including the fetal heart rate monitoring strips, and the baby’s newborn and NICU record.

Torrance Memorial handles medical records requests through its Health Information Management department. According to the hospital's medical records page, it uses an online request form (through its records vendor, Sharecare Health Data Services) that asks for a valid email address and a government-issued ID, and it says records are generally ready in 7 to 15 business days; a paper authorization is available if the online form cannot be used. Mail goes to Health Information Management, 3330 Lomita Boulevard, Torrance, CA 90505, and the hospital's main number is 310-325-9110. Ask for both the mother's chart and the baby's chart, and name the fetal monitoring strips, nursing notes, cord blood gas results and NICU records. Records of doctors in private offices may have to be requested from those offices separately.

The hospital’s medical records page →

Where a case from Torrance would be filed

A birth injury lawsuit involving a Los Angeles County hospital is filed in the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles. According to the court, unlimited civil personal injury cases filed in its Central District are assigned to independent calendar departments at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse, 111 North Hill Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012. The court also has a Southwest District courthouse in Torrance, at 825 Maple Avenue. Which courthouse handles a given case depends on the court's local rules, so the court's online filing locator at lacourt.ca.gov or the clerk's office should be used to confirm the right location.

Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles – Stanley Mosk Courthouse → — 111 North Hill Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Help for your child now: Early Start in Los Angeles County

Babies and toddlers under 3 in the Torrance area can be evaluated for Early Start through Harbor Regional Center, which the state Department of Developmental Services lists as serving the Torrance, Harbor, Long Beach and Bellflower areas. The center is at 21231 Hawthorne Boulevard, Torrance, CA 90503, and its main line is 310-543-0100. For Early Start intake, call 310-543-0102 or email intakeunder3@harborrc.org. A parent, doctor or other caregiver can ask for an evaluation, and you do not need a diagnosis or a lawyer to ask. Say that you are worried about your baby's development and ask for an Early Start evaluation.

Harbor Regional Center →

Key facts

Questions parents ask

Other Los Angeles County hospitals we cover

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center · Miller Children’s & Women’s Long Beach · Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center · Kaiser Permanente Downey · Antelope Valley Medical Center · Adventist Health White Memorial · Kaiser Permanente Baldwin Park · Queen of the Valley Hospital, West Covina · CHA Hollywood Presbyterian · Providence Little Company of Mary Torrance · Los Angeles birth injury lawyers →

Related pages

Cerebral Palsy · Erb’s Palsy / Brachial Plexus Injury · HIE / Oxygen Deprivation at Birth · Statute of Limitations · MICRA Damages Cap · All California hospitals · California birth injury lawyers · Birth injury guides

Beverly Law is an independent law firm. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by or speaking for Torrance Memorial Medical Center or Torrance Memorial (private nonprofit corporation). Hospital facts on this page come from the public sources listed above.

Important: This page is general information about birth injuries and California law, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship with Beverly Law. Every case is different — talk to a lawyer about your own situation. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. No fees or costs unless we win. Last reviewed: 2026-09-18.