Huntington Hospital Birth Injury Lawyers

If your baby was born at Huntington Hospital at 100 W. California Boulevard in Pasadena, Los Angeles County, and the delivery was difficult, you may have questions that no one has fully answered. Maybe your child needed time in the intensive care nursery. Maybe a doctor mentioned low oxygen, a brain bleed, or a nerve injury in the shoulder. Maybe your child is a few months or a few years old and is not reaching milestones the way other children do. This page is for parents and caregivers in Pasadena, the San Gabriel Valley and the surrounding communities who want to understand what a birth injury is, what the warning signs look like, and what options exist.

We wrote this page to explain, not to blame. Huntington Hospital cares for thousands of newborns, and most deliveries end well. According to the hospital's 2024 report to the state (HCAI), its newborn nursery cared for 2,744 babies that year. When a baby is hurt around the time of birth, though, families deserve clear information about medical terms, records, support services and legal timelines. Beverly Law reviews birth-injury questions for California families. Nothing here is legal advice about your particular situation, and reading this page does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Labor and delivery at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena

Huntington Hospital, which also uses the name Huntington Health, is a private non-profit hospital. The state classifies it as a non-profit corporation, and the 2024 state report lists no parent organization. Its main phone number is 626-397-5000. The hospital's own maternity page describes labor and delivery in its Family Birth Center on the hospital campus, and we confirmed that the service is offered today.

According to the hospital's website, its program includes a laborist program that provides board-certified obstetrician coverage around the clock, a Perinatal High-Risk Unit, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist available 24 hours a day, and a dedicated obstetric emergency department. The hospital also describes a Level IIIB Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) with neonatal physicians in the hospital at all times. For the NICU level we rely on the hospital's own statement.

The numbers from the state tell part of the story of the community it serves. According to the hospital's 2024 report to the state (HCAI), the newborn nursery cared for 2,744 newborns in 2024. The same report shows 41 licensed intensive-care newborn beds and 328 NICU discharges that year. A NICU stay is common for babies who are born early, who need breathing support, or who need closer watching in the first days. It does not by itself mean that anything went wrong, and many NICU graduates go home and thrive.

Birth injuries families ask about after a difficult delivery

The terms below are general medical background, drawn from public health and medical sources. They are not statements about any hospital or any person. Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is brain injury that follows reduced oxygen and blood flow to a baby's brain around the time of birth. The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) has published a workshop report on acute perinatal asphyxia in term infants, and medical reviews describe HIE as a leading cause of newborn brain injury, with outcomes ranging from full recovery to lasting problems such as seizures and cerebral palsy. Newborn doctors often use cooling treatment and brain monitoring when HIE is suspected.

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of movement and posture disorders caused by damage to or abnormal development of the developing brain. The CDC explains that CP is usually diagnosed in the first or second year of life and that delayed motor milestones are often the first sign. Not every case of CP is caused by an event at birth; it can have several causes, including prenatal ones. That is one reason a careful medical review matters.

Other conditions 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. Medical references describe shoulder dystocia and a large baby as risk factors, and note that many infants recover fully, while some need therapy or surgery. Families also ask about brain bleeds in newborns, skull fractures and broken collarbones, infections such as Group B strep (GBS) that can be passed from mother to baby, and injuries to the mother such as severe bleeding after delivery (postpartum hemorrhage). Each condition has different causes, and many are nobody's fault. The question in a legal review is whether the care met accepted standards, and only a qualified medical expert can help answer that.

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

In the first days, parents and nurses watch for trouble breathing, a weak or unusual cry, poor feeding or difficulty latching, unusual sleepiness, a limp or very stiff body, seizures (which can look like twitching, lip-smacking or staring), and a low blood sugar or low temperature. A baby who does not move one arm as much as the other, or who holds an arm limp at the side, should be examined for a nerve or bone injury. A swelling on the head, a very tense soft spot, or a vomiting baby who is hard to wake are also reasons to ask for a doctor right away.

Over the first weeks and months, the signs can be quieter. The CDC lists signs such as a head that lags when you pick the baby up, a body that feels very stiff or very floppy, trouble following objects with the eyes, a fist that stays tightly closed, and not smiling or cooing by the usual ages. Feeding problems, frequent choking, and a strong preference for one hand before the age of one can also be early clues.

Later, a child who is slow to roll over, sit, crawl or walk, or who has speech or learning delays, should be evaluated. Not every delay is caused by a birth injury, and every child develops at a different pace. If you are worried, do not wait for the next routine visit. Tell your pediatrician what you see, ask for a referral to a specialist, and keep notes with dates. Early evaluation and therapy matter for the child, whatever the cause.

Who may be responsible in a birth-injury claim?

Many different people take part in a delivery, and who may be legally responsible depends on the facts. Hospital employees such as labor and delivery nurses, nurse-midwives employed by the hospital and neonatal staff may be involved, and the hospital can be responsible for its own employees. Obstetricians, midwives, anesthesiologists, pediatricians and neonatologists may also be involved. Many of them are not hospital employees at all.

This difference between independent physicians and hospital employees is important. A doctor who runs a private practice or belongs to a separate medical group may have their own insurance and their own legal responsibility. A claim may involve one party, several, or a medical group. Which parties apply is one of the first things a lawyer and a medical expert try to sort out from the records.

A birth-injury case is also not only about the delivery room. Prenatal care, the decisions made during labor, the way a baby's condition was watched, and the care in the NICU afterward may all be part of a review. The word may is important here. A review looks at what happened and whether the care met accepted medical standards. Many families who start with questions learn that nothing went wrong, and that is also useful to know.

How an independent expert review of a delivery works

A medical negligence claim in California generally depends on expert opinion. In a birth-injury review, a physician with the right training, such as an obstetrician, a neonatologist or a pediatric neurologist, reads the records and gives an independent view of the care. The expert is not part of the hospital and has no stake in the outcome.

Several records are usually studied. Fetal heart monitoring strips show the baby's heart rate and the mother's contractions over time, and reviewers look at how the pattern was read and how the team responded. Apgar scores rate the baby's condition at one and five minutes after birth. Umbilical cord blood gas results show how much oxygen and acid were in the baby's blood at birth. Brain imaging, such as an MRI, and the NICU notes show how the baby's condition developed in the first days, and whether treatments such as cooling were used. Labor notes, medication records and the delivery summary fill in the timeline.

Experts can also say whether a condition began before labor, during labor or after birth, and what the long-term outlook is. That outlook matters because the cost of lifelong medical care, therapy, equipment and support is a major part of how a claim is valued. A review does not commit you to anything. It is a way to get a qualified answer to the question, what happened?

What your family can do now: step-by-step

First, take care of your child. Keep every appointment with the pediatrician, neurologist and therapists, and follow their advice. Second, ask for the records. You are entitled to your baby's hospital chart and to your own chart as the mother. Ask for the labor and delivery record, the fetal monitoring strips, the newborn nursery and NICU records, and the imaging reports. Records can take time, so ask early.

Third, write things down while you remember them: who was at the bedside, what you were told, when your baby first needed help, and what the doctors said in the following days. Keep names of providers, appointment dates, bills, insurance letters and photos. Do not post details on social media, and be careful about signing anything from an insurer without understanding it.

Fourth, speak to a lawyer early, even if you are unsure. California sets strict deadlines for these cases, and some are much shorter than families expect. Parents' own claims can run on a different clock than the child's claim, and claims against a public hospital have a six-month first step. Huntington Hospital is listed in state data as a private non-profit, but a lawyer can confirm which rules apply to everyone involved in your delivery. Talking to a lawyer does not mean you have decided to file a case. It means you will know your options.

Support for your child while a case is reviewed

Your child's care should not wait for a legal answer. Early intervention, physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy help most children, and starting early often makes the biggest difference. Ask your pediatrician about referrals, and ask your health plan what it covers.

For children under three, California's Early Start program offers evaluation and services through the regional center that serves your area. Children with eligible medical conditions may also qualify for California Children's Services (CCS), and families with limited income may qualify for Medi-Cal. These programs have their own rules, and we cannot promise that any child will qualify.

Caring for a child with special needs is hard on parents too. Family resource centers, parent support groups and your pediatrician's social worker can connect you with other families who have walked this road. You do not have to decide about a legal claim to ask for help.

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 Huntington Hospital, Pasadena

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.

Records for a delivery at Huntington Hospital come from the hospital's Medical Records and Decedent Affairs office, which according to the hospital is on the first floor of the Wingate building on the main campus at 100 W. California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91105. The hospital lists the office phone as 626-397-5054, with in-person hours Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (closed noon to 1 p.m.). The hospital also publishes a medical records page and a written authorization form, and it says records can be requested through the My CS-Link patient portal. Because phone numbers and forms on the hospital's pages are not always the same, call the office to confirm the current steps and fees. Ask for the full labor and delivery chart, the fetal monitoring strips, and the newborn nursery and NICU records, for both mother and baby.

The hospital’s medical records page →

Where a case from Pasadena would be filed

A birth-injury lawsuit from a Pasadena delivery would usually be filed in the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles. Civil cases of this size (unlimited civil) are generally heard at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse, 111 North Hill Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012, although the court decides which department handles each case and can change assignments, so a lawyer confirms the right courthouse at the time of filing. The court's website is lacourt.ca.gov.

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

Early Start is California's early intervention program for babies and toddlers under 3 who have a developmental delay or a condition that may cause one. According to the state's Department of Developmental Services, Pasadena is served by the Frank D. Lanterman Regional Center; because some areas of Pasadena may be served by a neighboring center, confirm yours with the DDS regional center locator at dds.ca.gov. Anyone can make a referral, including a parent or a doctor. Lanterman says its intake line is 213-252-8610 and referrals can be e-mailed to referrals@lanterman.org, and the state's Early Start BabyLine is 800-515-2229. Ask for an evaluation; eligibility is generally decided within 45 days. A pediatrician's referral is not required.

Frank D. Lanterman 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 Huntington Hospital or Huntington Health (non-profit 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.