This page is for families who had a baby at Orange County Global Medical Center, at 1001 North Tustin Avenue in Santa Ana, Orange County, California, and who now have questions about a difficult labor, a hard delivery, or a baby who needed extra care afterward. It is also for grandparents, partners and caregivers who are helping a family make sense of what happened.
Many births that look routine on the day can leave a parent wondering later why a child is not reaching milestones, why an arm is not moving, or why a baby spent days in intensive care. Wanting answers is natural, and asking questions is not an accusation. Most babies born at any hospital do well, and many newborn problems have causes that nobody could have prevented. This guide explains, in plain words, the kinds of injuries families ask about, the signs to watch for, how an independent medical review of a delivery works, and the practical steps you can take now.
Nothing here is a statement about the care given at this hospital, and nothing here is legal advice for your situation. It is general information, drawn from the hospital's own website, the hospital's 2024 report to the state, and trusted medical sources such as the CDC, the NIH, the American Academy of Pediatrics and children's hospitals. If you would like to talk through your own family's facts, Beverly Law can listen and explain your options at no cost to start.
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At a glance: Orange County Global Medical Center
| Address | 1001 North Tustin Avenue, Santa Ana, CA 92705 |
| County | Orange County |
| Health system / operator | KPC Health |
| Type of hospital | Private for-profit hospital |
| Newborns in 2024 | 1,696 (report to the state, HCAI) |
| Licensed NICU beds | 16 |
| NICU level | Level III |
| Main phone | 714-953-3610 |
| Hospital website | orangecountyglobalmedicalcenter.com |
Sources: HCAI — 2024 Hospital Annual Utilization Report and the hospital’s own website.
Labor and Delivery at Orange County Global Medical Center in Santa Ana
According to the hospital's own website, Orange County Global Medical Center offers maternity services that it calls Delivery Land. The page lists a Labor and Delivery Department, private labor and delivery rooms, a post-partum unit, childbirth preparation classes and maternity tours. The same page says the hospital has a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) with 16 beds and neonatologist coverage around the clock, and that the unit cares for premature infants, including babies born before 28 weeks.
The hospital also reports numbers to the state each year. According to the hospital's 2024 report to the state (HCAI), the newborn nursery cared for 1,696 babies in 2024. The same report lists 16 licensed intensive-care newborn beds and 114 NICU discharges for the year. The state report identifies the hospital as an investor-owned corporation, and the hospital's website carries the KPC Health name.
The hospital sits in Santa Ana, the county seat of Orange County, and serves a diverse community of families, many of whom speak Spanish at home. Families come here for routine births and for higher-risk pregnancies where a baby may need a NICU. If you or your baby were cared for here, you may have met obstetricians, midwives, labor nurses, anesthesia providers, neonatologists and NICU nurses, some employed by the hospital and some working independently. Understanding who was involved is one of the first steps in understanding what happened.
Birth Injuries Families Ask About After a Difficult Delivery
Birth injury is a broad term. It covers harm to a baby during labor, delivery or the first hours of life, and it can also cover harm to the mother. These are general medical facts and are not about any one hospital. Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is brain injury from too little oxygen or blood flow around the time of birth. The NIH describes signs such as low muscle tone, trouble breathing, feeding problems and seizures, and the American Academy of Pediatrics describes cooling therapy that is started in the first hours of life for moderate to severe cases. Cooling helps, but some babies still have lasting problems.
Cerebral palsy is a group of disorders that affect movement, balance and posture, and the CDC calls it the most common motor disability in childhood. The CDC says that most cerebral palsy begins before or during birth, that the exact cause is often unknown, and that a lack of oxygen during birth accounts for only a small share of cases. That is why careful medical review matters: not every case of cerebral palsy comes from the delivery, and a review looks at the facts rather than assuming.
Brachial plexus injuries, including Erb's palsy, happen when the nerves running from the neck to the arm are stretched during delivery. Cleveland Clinic and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia explain that shoulder dystocia, a large baby, a breech position or an instrument-assisted delivery can raise the risk. Many babies recover with therapy, and some need surgery. Other injuries families ask about include newborn brain bleeds, skull fractures, a broken collarbone, and infections such as group B strep. The CDC notes that most group B strep disease in the first week of life comes from exposure around delivery, and that screening during pregnancy and antibiotics during labor are the main ways it is prevented. Mothers can also be hurt, for example by heavy bleeding after delivery, torn tissue or infection.
Warning Signs of a Birth Injury in the First Days, Weeks and Months
In the first days, signs that deserve a prompt call to the baby's doctor include trouble breathing, a weak or unusual cry, poor feeding or trouble swallowing, seizures or jerking movements, very floppy or very stiff limbs, a baby who is hard to wake, fever or a low temperature, and skin that looks blue, gray or very yellow. An arm that does not move, or a baby who favors one side, can point to a nerve or bone injury. If something seems wrong, seek medical care first. Your baby's health always comes before any other question.
In the first weeks and months, watch for trouble holding the head up, a baby who feels unusually stiff or unusually loose when you pick them up, difficulty with feeding, and little interest in looking at faces or following sounds. The CDC lists signs such as head lag when a baby under six months is lifted, back arching, legs that stiffen and cross, not rolling over after six months, and reaching with only one hand while the other stays in a fist. Some children without cerebral palsy show these signs too, so they are a reason to talk with the pediatrician, not a diagnosis.
Trust what you see. Parents often notice differences before anyone else does. Write down what you observe, with dates, and keep every discharge paper, appointment card and therapy report. A short, honest note written in the moment can be very useful later, both for your child's doctors and, if you decide to seek legal advice, for the review of your case.
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Who May Be Responsible in a Birth-Injury Claim?
A delivery involves a team, and the people on it do not all work for the same employer. Depending on the facts, a claim may involve the hospital and its nurses and staff, the obstetrician who managed the labor, a midwife, an anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist, a neonatologist or pediatrician who treated the baby, or a medical group that employs or contracts with those doctors. Whether any of them may be responsible is a question for a careful review, not an assumption.
Many obstetricians and other physicians are independent. They have privileges at a hospital but are paid by their own practice or group. Others are employees of the hospital or of a medical group. This difference matters because it affects who may be legally responsible for a particular decision, and which insurer is involved. Nurses and technicians are more often hospital employees, though staffing agencies are sometimes used.
Your records usually show who was present and who made key decisions, which is one reason to request them early. It is common for a family to be unsure who their delivering doctor worked for. You do not need to figure this out before calling. A legal team can sort out the relationships from the chart, the billing and the hospital's staffing information.
How an Independent Expert Review of a Delivery Works
Before anyone can say whether a delivery met the accepted standard of care, qualified physicians review the chart. In a birth-injury case that usually means an obstetrician and often a neonatologist, a pediatric neurologist, a radiologist and a nurse reviewer. They read the complete record and they work independently of the hospital and of the family. Their task is to give an honest opinion, even when that opinion is that the care was appropriate and the outcome could not have been prevented.
The reviewers look at several types of records. The fetal heart monitoring strips show the baby's heart rate and the mother's contractions through labor. Apgar scores, given at one and five minutes after birth, record how the baby looked, breathed and moved. Umbilical cord blood gases measure the acid level in the baby's blood at birth. NICU notes show how the baby was treated and how they responded. Brain imaging such as MRI, taken days after birth, can show the pattern and timing of an injury.
These records are technical and are often hard for families to read alone. A review takes time, and it may produce a clear answer or a mixed one. Many families find that even a review with no claim at the end brings relief, because it replaces uncertainty with an explanation. Reviewing records does not commit you to filing anything.
What Your Family Can Do Now: Step by Step
First, make sure your child is getting the medical care and follow-up they need. Keep appointments with the pediatrician and any specialists, and ask for referrals to therapy if you see delays. Second, begin a folder. Save discharge papers, bills, insurance letters, medication lists, therapy reports and photos or videos that show your child's abilities over time. Write a timeline of the labor, the delivery and the days after, while memories are fresh.
Third, request the complete medical records for both mother and baby from the hospital, including the fetal monitoring strips, which are sometimes kept separately from the main chart. Fourth, do not post about your situation on social media, and be careful about signing releases or accepting calls from insurers before you understand what they mean. Fifth, talk with an attorney early. California applies strict deadlines to birth-injury claims, and a different, much shorter timeline can apply if a public hospital was involved. This hospital is classified as a private for-profit hospital, but a lawyer can confirm which rules apply to your particular birth and to every provider who cared for you.
Speaking with a lawyer does not mean you are suing anyone. It means getting your questions answered by someone who handles these cases. The first conversation with Beverly Law is free, and you may bring a family member or ask for the conversation in Spanish.
Support for Your Child While the Case Is Reviewed
Your child's care should never wait for a legal answer. Early therapy can make a real difference, and many services are available regardless of what a review concludes. Physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech and feeding therapy, vision and hearing services and special equipment can all be part of a plan that your child's doctors help create.
For children under three, California's Early Start program offers evaluations and services to infants and toddlers with developmental delays or who are at risk. It runs through regional centers, and the Regional Center of Orange County serves Santa Ana. Children with certain medical conditions may also qualify for California Children's Services (CCS), and many families use Medi-Cal for coverage. Eligibility depends on your family's circumstances, so ask your pediatrician or social worker to help you apply.
No program can promise an outcome, and none of these services depends on filing a legal claim. If you later decide to pursue one, the therapy reports and medical bills you gather now can also show what your child needs over the long term.
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 Orange County Global 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.
To request your own and your baby's records from Orange County Global Medical Center, contact the hospital's medical records (health information management) department. The hospital's website has an Access Medical Records link that leads to an online request portal, and you can also call the hospital's main number, 714-953-3610, and ask for medical records. Ask for the complete labor and delivery chart, the baby's newborn and NICU records, and the fetal heart monitoring strips, because those are sometimes kept apart from the main chart. Parents may request a baby's records. Keep a copy of every request and the date you made it.
The hospital’s medical records page →
Where a case from Santa Ana would be filed
A birth-injury case from a delivery in Santa Ana would usually be filed in the Superior Court of California, County of Orange. The court's website says the Central Justice Center, at 700 Civic Center Drive West, Santa Ana, CA 92701, hears unlimited civil cases, which is the category most injury cases fall into. The court sometimes assigns a case to a different courtroom or location, so a lawyer confirms the right one when filing.
Superior Court of California, County of Orange – Central Justice Center → — 700 Civic Center Drive West, Santa Ana, CA 92701
Help for your child now: Early Start in Orange County
Early Start is California's early intervention program for babies and toddlers from birth to age 3 who have, or may be at risk for, a developmental delay. In Santa Ana it runs through the Regional Center of Orange County, whose Early Start intake line is 714-796-5354 and whose main number is 714-796-5100. You can also call the statewide Early Start BabyLine at 800-515-2229. A parent can call and ask for an evaluation, and a pediatrician can make the referral too. Say that you are worried about your child's development and ask for an Early Start evaluation.
Regional Center of Orange County →
Key facts
- According to the hospital's 2024 report to the state (HCAI), Orange County Global Medical Center cared for 1,696 newborns in its nursery and reported 114 NICU discharges.
- The hospital's website describes a Level III NICU with 16 beds and neonatologist coverage around the clock.
- The CDC says most cerebral palsy begins before or during birth, and the exact cause is often unknown, which is why a careful medical review matters.
- California sets strict deadlines for birth-injury claims, so it is safer to ask questions early rather than wait.
- You have a right to request your own and your baby's medical records, including the fetal monitoring strips, and asking for them does not mean you are suing anyone.
Questions parents ask
Can I file a birth-injury claim involving Orange County Global Medical Center?
Any family may ask a lawyer to review a birth and decide whether a claim is possible. A claim is only brought if independent medical experts conclude that the care fell below accepted standards and caused the injury. Many outcomes have no one at fault, and a review can tell you which applies to your family.
How long do I have to bring a birth-injury claim?
California gives a child's birth-injury case its own deadline, which is usually longer than for an adult, but the parents' own claims can be much shorter. The clock runs from the event itself, not from the day you learned something was wrong. Because the rules are strict, it is safer to get advice early rather than wait.
Is Orange County Global Medical Center a public hospital?
No. The state's 2024 report lists it as an investor-owned corporation, and we treat it as a private for-profit hospital. Public county and University of California hospitals have a much shorter claim process, which is why we confirm the type of hospital for every birth. Any other provider involved should be checked separately.
What if my doctor did not work for the hospital?
This is very common. Many obstetricians and other doctors are independent or employed by their own medical group, even when they deliver babies at a hospital. A claim can involve the doctor, the group, the hospital, or all of them, depending on who made the decisions. A lawyer can sort this out from your records.
How do I get my fetal monitoring strips from Orange County Global Medical Center?
Send a written request to the hospital's medical records department, using the hospital's online records request link or by calling the main number, 714-953-3610. Ask specifically for the fetal heart monitoring strips along with the full labor, delivery and NICU chart. California law gives parents the right to request their baby's records.
Does it cost anything to talk to a lawyer about a birth injury?
No. The first conversation with Beverly Law is free, and you can ask questions without any commitment. Birth-injury cases are typically handled on a contingency basis, which means fees are paid from a recovery, and we explain the terms in writing before you decide anything.
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Other Orange County hospitals we cover
Hoag Hospital Newport Beach · Providence St. Joseph Hospital Orange · Kaiser Permanente Anaheim · Kaiser Permanente Irvine Medical Center · Hoag Hospital Irvine · St. Jude Medical Center · MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center · Orange County birth injury lawyers →
Orange County Global Medical Center Birth Injury Lawyers — Beverly Law
Free case review for families in Santa Ana. We obtain the delivery records, have them reviewed by medical experts and deal with the hospital and its insurer — you focus on your child. You pay no fees or costs unless we win.
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
Sources
- HCAI — 2024 Hospital Annual Utilization Report (final, October 2025)
- Orange County Global Medical Center – Maternal Care Services — Labor and delivery services, Level III NICU with 16 beds, neonatologist coverage and records link.
- Orange County Global Medical Center – Home — Official hospital name, address and KPC Health branding.
- CDC – About Cerebral Palsy — Definition, early signs and timing of cerebral palsy.
- CDC – Group B Strep — Newborn group B strep infection and prevention.
- NINDS – Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy — Signs of HIE in newborns.
- HealthyChildren.org (AAP) – Therapeutic Hypothermia for HIE — Cooling treatment for newborn HIE.
- Cleveland Clinic – Erb's Palsy — Brachial plexus birth injury causes, symptoms and treatment.
- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia – Brachial Plexus Birth Injury — Risk factors and multidisciplinary care.
- California Department of Developmental Services – Early Start — Early Start program for children from birth to age 3 and the BabyLine.
- Regional Center of Orange County — Regional center serving Orange County, address and phone.
- Code of Civil Procedure § 340.5
- Code of Civil Procedure § 364
- Civil Code § 3333.2 (as amended by AB 35, 2022)
- Health and Safety Code § 123110 (patient access to records)
Beverly Law is an independent law firm. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by or speaking for Orange County Global Medical Center or KPC Health. 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.