If your baby was born at Desert Regional Medical Center at 1150 North Indian Canyon Drive in Palm Springs, in Riverside County, and you are now worried about a birth injury, this page is for you. It explains, in plain words, what birth injuries are, which signs parents notice, how an independent review of a delivery works, and what steps a family can take to understand its options.
Desert Regional Medical Center is part of Desert Care Network. In the state's records, the hospital is listed as an investor-owned corporation whose parent organization is Tenet Healthcare Corporation. According to the hospital's 2024 report to the state (HCAI), its newborn nursery cared for 1,498 babies that year, and it reported 30 licensed intensive-care newborn (NICU) beds and 338 NICU discharges. Thousands of families in the Coachella Valley and the surrounding desert communities have their babies in this kind of setting, and most go home with healthy children.
Sometimes, though, a baby leaves the hospital, or stays in the NICU, with a diagnosis that was not expected: a brain injury, a nerve injury in the arm, a fracture, or developmental delays that appear later. Parents then ask what happened and whether it could have been prevented. Nothing on this page says that anything went wrong at any hospital. It is general information for families who want answers, written by Beverly Law, and it is not legal advice about your child's case.
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At a glance: Desert Regional Medical Center
| Address | 1150 North Indian Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92262 |
| County | Riverside County |
| Health system / operator | Tenet Healthcare Corporation (Desert Care Network) |
| Type of hospital | Private for-profit hospital |
| Newborns in 2024 | 1,498 (report to the state, HCAI) |
| Licensed NICU beds | 30 |
| NICU level | Level III |
| Main phone | 760-323-6511 |
| Hospital website | desertcarenetwork.com/locations/detail/desert-regional-medical-center |
Sources: HCAI — 2024 Hospital Annual Utilization Report and the hospital’s own website.
Labor and delivery at Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs
Desert Regional Medical Center's own website describes labor and delivery services at its Palm Springs campus, along with a Women and Infants Center, a Maternal Fetal Medicine program for high-risk pregnancies, and online pre-registration for expectant parents. The hospital is at 1150 North Indian Canyon Drive, and its main phone number is 760-323-6511.
The hospital also has a neonatal intensive care unit. The hospital's website describes it as a Level III NICU. The state's 2024 utilization report lists 30 licensed NICU beds and 338 NICU discharges for the year, and says the newborn nursery cared for 1,498 babies. A NICU level tells you what kind of care a unit is designed to provide for sick or premature babies, and a Level III unit is meant for newborns who need more advanced support. It says nothing, either way, about the outcome of any one family's delivery.
Families come to this hospital from Palm Springs, Cathedral City, Desert Hot Springs, Rancho Mirage and other parts of the Coachella Valley. If you delivered here and your baby later had a serious diagnosis, you are not alone in asking questions, and asking them is a normal part of caring for your child.
Birth injuries families ask about after a difficult delivery
Parents most often ask about injuries to the brain, nerves and bones. Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a brain injury that can happen when a baby does not get enough oxygen or blood flow around the time of birth. The Cleveland Clinic and Stanford Medicine Children's Health describe signs such as low or high muscle tone, trouble feeding, a weak cry, breathing problems and seizures. For moderate to severe HIE, doctors may use whole-body cooling (therapeutic hypothermia), which Stanford says must begin within about six hours of birth.
Cerebral palsy is a group of conditions that affect movement, balance and posture. The CDC explains that most cases begin before or around birth and that in many the cause is never identified. The CDC also notes that oxygen deprivation at birth was once thought to be a major cause but appears to account for only a small share of cases. That is why a careful medical review matters: a diagnosis alone does not tell anyone what caused it.
Other injuries families ask about include Erb's palsy and other brachial plexus injuries, in which the nerves running from the neck to the arm are stretched during delivery. The Cleveland Clinic says they affect roughly one in every 1,000 births and that many babies improve with therapy, while some have lasting weakness. Parents also ask about bleeding in a newborn's brain, skull or collarbone fractures, infections such as group B strep (GBS), and injuries to the mother, including heavy bleeding (hemorrhage) after delivery. These are general medical topics. They are not statements about this or any hospital.
Warning signs of a birth injury in the first days, weeks and months
In the first hours and days, signs that doctors and nurses watch for include trouble breathing, a very weak or very high-pitched cry, unusual sleepiness or irritability, poor feeding, seizures or jerking movements, a floppy or very stiff body, and a baby who does not move one arm. If your baby went to the NICU, ask the care team to explain in plain language why, what tests were done, and what they mean.
In the first weeks and months, parents often notice that a baby is not following with the eyes, startles very little, has feeding or swallowing trouble, or favors one side of the body. The CDC lists early signs of cerebral palsy such as head lag when the baby is lifted, stiff or floppy limbs, and legs that cross or scissor. After about six months, not rolling over, not bringing hands together, or reaching with only one hand can be signs worth checking.
The CDC points out that missing a milestone does not always mean cerebral palsy, but any concern deserves a developmental evaluation, and you do not need a doctor's referral to contact California's early intervention program. Write down what you see, with dates, and bring it to your pediatrician. Trust what you notice as a parent.
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Who may be responsible in a birth-injury claim
Every birth involves a team, and a review looks at the role of each member. Depending on the facts, those who may be involved include the hospital's labor and delivery nurses and staff, the obstetrician, a midwife, an anesthesiologist, the neonatal team, and the medical group that employs or contracts with them.
An important question is who employed each person. Many obstetricians and other doctors are independent physicians or work for a separate medical group, even when they deliver babies at a hospital. Nurses and other staff are often hospital employees. This affects who may be responsible, how a claim is brought, and which insurance is involved. That is one reason the answer to whether a family has a claim against the hospital, a doctor, both or neither can only come from a review of the records.
Being named in a review does not mean anyone did something wrong. A claim is a legal way to ask whether the care met the accepted standard and, if it did not, whether that caused the injury. Many babies have complications that nobody could have prevented, and a careful review can bring that clarity too.
How an independent expert review of a delivery works
A review starts with the complete medical records for both mother and baby: prenatal care, labor and delivery notes, orders, medication records, anesthesia records and the NICU chart. Physicians who are not connected to the hospital then read them, usually an obstetrician, a neonatologist and sometimes a pediatric neurologist or radiologist, depending on the injury.
Some records are especially important. Fetal heart monitoring strips show the baby's heart rate and the mother's contractions over time. Apgar scores rate how the baby was doing at one and five minutes after birth. Umbilical cord blood gas results can show how much oxygen the baby had at birth. Brain MRI and other imaging can help show the type and timing of an injury. NICU notes show how the baby was treated and how the baby responded.
The experts try to answer two questions: did the care meet accepted medical standards, and, if not, did that cause the injury? Sometimes the answer is no, and the family learns that the condition had another cause. Either way, parents come away with a clearer picture, which is worth having when deciding about care and the future.
What to do now: steps for families after a birth injury
First, take care of your child's health. Keep every appointment, follow the doctors' instructions and ask for referrals to specialists such as neurology, orthopedics or therapy when they are suggested. Your child's care always comes first.
Second, gather what you have: discharge papers, bills, insurance cards, appointment summaries, photos and a simple timeline in your own words. Do not post details of your child's case on social media, and be careful about giving recorded statements to an insurance company.
Third, request the medical records, for both you and your baby, and ask for the fetal monitoring strips and cord blood gas results as part of the request. Fourth, act early. California has strict deadlines, and some are much shorter than the child's own deadline, so speaking with a lawyer sooner leaves more options open. A consultation with Beverly Law is free, and a lawyer can explain the timeline for your situation. The records, court and deadline sections below give the details.
Support while a birth-injury case is reviewed: therapy, Early Start and Medi-Cal
A legal review should never delay your child's care. Early therapy can make a real difference for many children: physical therapy for strength and movement, occupational therapy for hands and daily skills, speech and feeding therapy, and vision or hearing services when needed.
For babies and toddlers under age 3, California's Early Start program offers evaluations and services for infants with developmental delays or a condition likely to cause one. In Riverside County, Early Start is arranged through Inland Regional Center. Many children with serious medical conditions also qualify for Medi-Cal and for California Children's Services (CCS), which covers care for certain conditions. Ask the hospital's social worker or your pediatrician which programs may apply to your family.
None of these programs depends on a legal claim, and a legal review does not replace them. Beverly Law cannot promise any result, but we can help families understand how the cost of lifetime care is considered when a case is evaluated.
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 Desert Regional 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.
Medical records for Desert Regional Medical Center are handled by the hospital's Health Information Management (medical records) department. Desert Care Network's website has a Request Medical Records page at desertcarenetwork.com/patients/request-medical-records with an authorization form, available in English and Spanish. You can also call the hospital's main number, 760-323-6511, and ask for Health Information Management, or visit 1150 North Indian Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92262. When you ask, include your baby's name and date of birth, your own name as parent, and request the complete chart for both mother and baby, including the fetal monitoring strips, labor and delivery notes, cord blood gas results and the NICU records.
The hospital’s medical records page →
Where a case from Palm Springs would be filed
A civil lawsuit for a birth injury at a Palm Springs hospital would usually be filed in the Superior Court of California, County of Riverside. According to the court's civil filing order, unlimited civil cases are assigned to a courthouse by ZIP code, and the desert and Coachella Valley communities, including Palm Springs, are assigned to the Palm Springs Courthouse at 3255 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs, CA 92262. The court's website at riverside.courts.ca.gov lists its locations, and the assignment rules can change, so a lawyer confirms the correct courthouse before filing.
Superior Court of California, County of Riverside – Palm Springs Courthouse → — 3255 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs, CA 92262
Help for your child now: Early Start in Riverside County
Early Start is California's program for babies and toddlers under age 3 who have, or may be at risk for, developmental delays. For Riverside County, including Palm Springs, the regional center is Inland Regional Center (inlandrc.org). Any parent, doctor or caregiver can ask for an evaluation, and you do not need a doctor's referral. According to the Department of Developmental Services listing at dds.ca.gov, Inland Regional Center's Early Start intake line for Riverside County is (909) 890-4763, and referrals can also be emailed to esreferral@inlandrc.org. Tell them your baby's age, what you have noticed and any diagnosis you have been given.
Key facts
- Desert Regional Medical Center, at 1150 North Indian Canyon Drive in Palm Springs, offers labor and delivery and has a Level III NICU, according to the hospital's own website.
- According to the hospital's 2024 report to the state (HCAI), its newborn nursery cared for 1,498 babies and it had 30 licensed NICU beds and 338 NICU discharges.
- A birth-injury diagnosis does not by itself show what caused it, which is why an independent expert review of the records matters.
- In California, a child's birth-injury case has its own deadline, but the parents' claims and claims against public hospitals can have much shorter deadlines, so ask early.
- Your child's care does not have to wait: Early Start through Inland Regional Center serves babies under 3 in Riverside County, and no doctor's referral is needed.
Questions parents ask
Can I file a birth-injury claim against Desert Regional Medical Center?
Whether a family has a claim depends on the facts, and that can only be answered after an independent review of the medical records. A claim may involve the hospital, an independent doctor or medical group, or no one. Beverly Law can explain how that review works and what your options are.
How long do I have to file a birth-injury claim?
California gives a child's birth-injury case its own deadline under Code of Civil Procedure 340.5: usually the child's eighth birthday for a baby hurt during labor or delivery. Parents' own claims, and claims against public hospitals, can have much shorter deadlines, and a written notice is required before suit. It is safer to get advice early.
Is Desert Regional Medical Center a public hospital?
In the state's 2024 report, the hospital is listed as an investor-owned corporation, with Tenet Healthcare Corporation as the parent organization, so we treat it as a private for-profit hospital. Public hospitals, such as county or University of California hospitals, have a six-month claim rule. If a public entity was involved in your care, tell us right away.
What if my doctor did not work for the hospital?
Many doctors who deliver babies at a hospital are independent physicians or work for a separate medical group. That can change who may be responsible and how a claim is brought, but it does not by itself end a family's options. A review of the records helps sort out who was responsible for what.
How do I get my fetal monitoring strips from Desert Regional Medical Center?
Ask the hospital's Health Information Management department in writing. The request form is on Desert Care Network's Request Medical Records page, or you can call 760-323-6511. Name the fetal monitoring strips, labor and delivery notes, cord blood gases and NICU records. California law gives parents a right to a copy of the records of their baby and of themselves.
Does it cost anything to talk to a lawyer about a birth injury?
A first consultation with Beverly Law is free. Birth-injury cases are generally handled on a contingency basis, which means fees are paid from a recovery, if there is one, and we explain the terms before you decide. Nothing about talking to us affects your child's care.
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Other Riverside County hospitals we cover
Rancho Springs Hospital, Murrieta · Riverside Community Hospital · Kaiser Permanente Riverside · RUHS Medical Center · JFK Memorial Hospital · Riverside birth injury lawyers →
Desert Regional Medical Center Birth Injury Lawyers — Beverly Law
Free case review for families in Palm Springs. 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)
- Desert Care Network – Desert Regional Medical Center Labor and Delivery — The hospital's own labor and delivery page, Women and Infants services and pre-registration.
- Desert Care Network – Level 3 NICU — The hospital's description of its Level III NICU.
- Desert Care Network – Request Medical Records — The hospital network's medical records request page and form.
- HCAI 2024 Hospital Annual Utilization Report – Desert Regional Medical Center — Newborn nursery, NICU bed and NICU discharge numbers; ownership and parent organization.
- Superior Court of California, County of Riverside – Palm Springs Courthouse — Courthouse address and the court's civil filing assignments.
- California Department of Developmental Services – Regional Center Listings — Inland Regional Center, counties served and Early Start intake contacts.
- CDC – About Cerebral Palsy — What cerebral palsy is, its causes, early signs in infants and the early intervention referral.
- Cleveland Clinic – Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE) — Signs of HIE in newborns.
- Stanford Medicine Children's Health – Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy — HIE signs and whole-body cooling treatment timing.
- Cleveland Clinic – Erb's Palsy — Brachial plexus birth injury, how often it occurs and recovery.
- 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 Desert Regional Medical Center or Tenet Healthcare Corporation (Desert Care Network). 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.