Kaiser Permanente Orange County – Anaheim Medical Center Birth Injury Lawyers

This page is for parents and family members whose baby was born at Kaiser Permanente Orange County – Anaheim Medical Center, at 3440 E La Palma Ave in Anaheim, Orange County, California, and who are now worried about how the delivery went. The state's hospital report lists the facility as Kaiser Foundation Hospital – Orange County – Anaheim. If your child was diagnosed with a condition after birth, or if you simply have questions about what happened during labor, you are in the right place.

Most babies born in this community arrive healthy. But some families leave the hospital with a child who has a brain injury, a nerve injury, a fracture, an infection or a developmental concern, and with many unanswered questions. Understanding the medical terms, the records and the legal timelines can feel overwhelming while you are caring for a newborn. We wrote this guide in plain language so you can see what your options are.

Nothing here says that anyone at this hospital made a mistake. A difficult delivery or a medical condition does not by itself mean that care fell short. This guide explains how families usually get answers: by collecting the records, by asking an independent medical expert to review them, and by learning about the deadlines early. Talking to a lawyer about your questions is a choice, and you can make it at your own pace.

Labor and Delivery at Kaiser Permanente Anaheim Medical Center

According to Kaiser Permanente's own labor and delivery tour for the Anaheim Medical Center, the hospital has a labor and delivery unit on the third floor, a post-delivery unit and a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Families are asked to call the unit when they think they are in labor, and a nurse can help decide whether it is time to come in. The tour also says interpreters are available on request, and that each labor room is private with its own bathroom.

The hospital's own materials describe a care team that can include an obstetrician-gynecologist on site, registered nurses, midwives, neonatologists, and anesthesiologists or nurse anesthetists for epidural or spinal pain medication. They also explain that a cesarean delivery is sometimes the safest option for mother and baby, and that babies who need extra support can receive care in the NICU.

According to the hospital's 2024 report to the state (HCAI), the hospital cared for 3,157 newborns in its newborn nursery in 2024. It reported 20 licensed NICU beds and 287 NICU discharges that year. The hospital is part of Kaiser Permanente, a private nonprofit health system, and serves families across Anaheim and the rest of Orange County. We have not stated a NICU level because we could not confirm one on the hospital's site or a state page.

Birth Injuries Families Ask About After a Difficult Delivery

These are general medical facts about birth injuries, not statements about any hospital. Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a brain injury caused by too little oxygen and blood flow around the time of birth. Doctors look at several clues, such as a difficult delivery, a low Apgar score, abnormal blood gases and the baby's alertness and muscle tone. Cooling treatment, called therapeutic hypothermia, works best when it starts within about six hours of birth, according to published research on the National Library of Medicine's PubMed Central.

Cerebral palsy is a group of disorders that affect movement, balance and posture, and it is the most common motor disability in childhood, according to the CDC. Most cerebral palsy begins before or during birth, and in many children the exact cause is never found. The CDC notes that birth-related oxygen loss was once thought to be the main cause but is now believed to account for only a small number of cases. Symptoms range from mild to severe, and the condition does not get worse over time.

Erb's palsy, a type of brachial plexus injury, happens when the nerves running from the neck to the arm are stretched, often when a baby's shoulder is hard to deliver. The Cleveland Clinic says some babies recover on their own within a few months, while others need therapy or surgery. Other conditions families ask about include newborn brain bleeds, skull or collarbone fractures, infections such as group B strep (GBS), and maternal injuries such as heavy bleeding after delivery. Each has many possible causes, and many occur even with excellent care.

Warning Signs of a Birth Injury in the First Days, Weeks and Months

In the first days, parents and nurses may notice a baby who is very limp or very stiff, who is hard to wake, who feeds poorly or cannot suck well, who has trouble breathing, or who has seizures (rhythmic jerking, staring spells or lip smacking). A baby who does not move one arm, or who cries when a limb or collarbone is touched, may have a nerve injury or a fracture. A fever, or a baby who seems unusually sleepy and refuses feeds, can point to an infection. Tell a nurse or doctor right away if you notice any of this.

Over the first weeks and months, watch for a baby who does not follow your face or respond to sounds, who has a head that lags, who stays fisted or favors one side of the body, or who does not start to smile. The CDC lists early signs of cerebral palsy under six months, including a head that lags when the baby is picked up, a body that feels stiff or floppy, and legs that stiffen and cross like scissors when lifted.

After six months, other signs include not rolling over, difficulty bringing hands together or to the mouth, and reaching with only one hand. These signs do not always mean a birth injury, and some children who show them do not have cerebral palsy. But they are reasons to talk to your pediatrician soon, and you do not have to wait for a diagnosis before asking for early intervention services.

Who May Be Responsible in a Birth-Injury Claim?

In a birth-injury claim, several people and groups may be part of the care that is reviewed. These can include the nurses and other hospital staff who monitored labor, the obstetrician who managed the delivery, a midwife, the anesthesia team, the neonatologists and NICU staff, and the medical group or health system that employs them. Whether anyone is responsible depends on the facts, and it is only decided after the records are reviewed by qualified experts.

A common question is what happens if your doctor did not work for the hospital. At many hospitals, some physicians are independent contractors rather than employees, and that can change who may be named in a claim. At Kaiser Permanente, the way care is organized between the hospital and the medical group is different from most hospitals, which is one reason the details of your own membership and your records matter.

Kaiser members' claims usually go through binding arbitration rather than a jury trial, under the member agreement. This does not mean a claim is out of reach. It means the process, the timeline and the decision-maker work differently. A lawyer who reviews your situation can explain which route applies to you, and all of these paths have strict deadlines, so it is wise to ask early.

How an Independent Expert Review of the Delivery Works

An independent review starts with the records. The reviewers are usually physicians, such as a maternal-fetal medicine specialist, an obstetrician, a neonatologist or a pediatric neurologist, along with nurses who know labor and delivery. They are not part of the hospital. They read the chart as a whole and compare what happened with accepted standards of care, then explain in writing whether they see a concern.

The key records include the fetal heart rate monitoring strips, which show the baby's heartbeat and the mother's contractions across labor. Reviewers also look at the Apgar scores at one and five minutes, umbilical cord blood gas results, medication and oxytocin records, the delivery note, nursing notes and orders. For the baby, they review the NICU notes, any cooling records, seizure monitoring and imaging such as a brain MRI.

The review also looks at the child's current needs. Doctors, therapists and sometimes life-care planners estimate the long-term medical care, therapies, equipment and support a child may need. This helps the family understand the whole picture. An honest expert review can also tell a family that the care met accepted standards, and that is useful information too.

What to Do Now: Step by Step

First, take care of your child and yourself. Keep every appointment with the pediatrician, neurologist or other specialists, and write down what each provider tells you. Start a folder, paper or digital, with discharge papers, bills, insurance letters, photos and a simple timeline of what you remember from labor and the first days. Note the names on your wristbands and paperwork, but keep your notes private.

Second, ask for the full medical records for both mother and baby, including the monitoring strips and NICU chart. Third, ask your pediatrician about Early Start if your child is under three. Fourth, speak with a birth-injury lawyer soon, even if you are still unsure, because California sets strict deadlines for these cases and some are much shorter than families expect. Beverly Law can answer your questions and explain your options. You do not have to decide anything on the first call.

Do not sign releases or post details of your case on social media before you understand them. Be careful with any forms that ask you to give up rights. If you are a Kaiser member, keep your membership paperwork. If you are unsure whether you can bring a claim, ask. A short conversation can save you from losing options simply because time ran out.

Support for Your Child and Family While the Case Is Reviewed

Your child's care does not have to wait for a legal answer. Physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy can start as soon as a pediatrician or specialist recommends them. Early treatment often helps children build strength and skills during the years when the brain adapts the most. Ask the care team about equipment, feeding support and follow-up with specialists.

For children under three, the Regional Center of Orange County coordinates California's Early Start program for infants with developmental delays or a high chance of one. Families may also qualify for Medi-Cal or California Children's Services (CCS) for certain medical conditions, depending on the child's diagnosis and the family's situation. Social workers at your child's hospital or clinic can help you apply.

Caring for a medically fragile baby is exhausting. Look for parent support groups, respite care and counseling for yourself and your partner. We cannot promise any outcome in a legal case, but we can help you understand your options and connect you with the questions that matter most.

Kaiser members: arbitration instead of a jury

Kaiser Permanente works differently from most hospitals. Kaiser’s own member materials explain that members agree to binding arbitration instead of a jury or court trial for certain matters, that a member who believes their care was negligent can ask for binding arbitration, and that the arbitrator’s decision is binding on both the member and Kaiser Permanente. These arbitrations are run by a neutral Office of the Independent Administrator (oia-kaiserarb.com), not by Kaiser. For a family who delivered at a Kaiser hospital as Kaiser members, that usually means a birth-injury claim is decided by an arbitrator rather than a jury — and the claim still has to be started on time, so it is important not to wait.

Deadlines for a birth-injury claim 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.

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 Kaiser Permanente Anaheim

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 get the delivery and newborn records from this hospital, Kaiser Permanente's Release of Information process handles requests for copies of medical records. Kaiser directs members to request records online at kp.org/requestrecords, and its Southern California Release of Information line is 1-800-464-4000 on weekdays. Ask for both the mother's chart and the baby's chart, and name the fetal heart monitoring strips, labor and delivery notes, cord blood gas results, Apgar scores and NICU records. California law gives parents a right to inspect and copy a child's records, and you can ask your lawyer to send the request for you.

The hospital’s medical records page →

Where a case from Anaheim would be filed

A birth-injury case that is filed in court in Orange County would usually be filed in the Superior Court of California, County of Orange, which handles unlimited civil cases at the Central Justice Center, 700 Civic Center Drive West, Santa Ana, CA 92701. However, Kaiser Permanente members' claims usually go to binding arbitration instead of court, so the court may not be where your claim is decided. A lawyer can tell you which path applies to your family.

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 program for babies and toddlers under age 3 who have a developmental delay or a high chance of one. For families in Anaheim and Orange County, it is coordinated by the Regional Center of Orange County, whose Early Start intake line is (714) 796-5354. You, or your pediatrician, can call and ask for an evaluation. You do not need a final diagnosis or a lawyer to ask, and the evaluation is a first step to find out which services may help your child.

Regional Center of Orange County →

Key facts

Questions parents ask

Other Orange County hospitals we cover

Hoag Hospital Newport Beach · Providence St. Joseph Hospital Orange · Orange County 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 Kaiser Permanente Orange County – Anaheim Medical Center or Kaiser Permanente (Kaiser Foundation Hospitals). 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.