Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center Birth Injury Lawyers

This page is for families who welcomed a baby at Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center, at 700 Lawrence Expressway in Santa Clara, Santa Clara County, and who now have questions about a difficult delivery or a child's health. Maybe your baby needed intensive care, was slow to reach milestones, or has a diagnosis such as cerebral palsy or a nerve injury in the arm. Wanting to understand what happened is a normal and caring reason to look for information.

We explain, in plain language, what labor and delivery looks like at this hospital, which birth injuries families ask about, which warning signs matter, who can be involved in a claim, how an independent expert review works, and what you can do now. Nothing here says that anything went wrong at this hospital. It is general information to help you understand your options and your child's needs.

The page is written for mothers, fathers and guardians in Santa Clara, San Jose, Sunnyvale, Mountain View and nearby communities. It is not legal or medical advice for your child's situation. A doctor can answer medical questions, and a lawyer can review your specific facts and deadlines. Because some deadlines are strict, it helps to ask early.

Labor and delivery at Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center

According to the hospital's own website, Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center offers labor and delivery on the third floor of the hospital at 700 Lawrence Expressway. The hospital lists a labor and delivery advice line for patients 20 weeks pregnant and beyond, an information line, and a separate Mother/Baby unit. The hospital is part of Kaiser Permanente, a nonprofit health system, and its state license lists it as Kaiser Foundation Hospital – Santa Clara.

According to the hospital's 2024 report to the state (HCAI), the hospital cared for 3,937 newborns in its newborn nursery during 2024. The same report lists 26 licensed intensive-care newborn (NICU) beds and 341 NICU discharges in 2024. These numbers show the size of the maternity and newborn services that serve families in Santa Clara County and the surrounding South Bay.

We do not state a NICU level for this hospital, because we did not find one published on the hospital's own pages or on a state page. If your baby was in the NICU, the best way to understand what care was given is to read the medical record, which we explain below.

Birth injuries families ask about after a difficult delivery

Many babies who go through a hard labor do well. When a baby does not, families often hear a few terms. Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is brain injury linked to reduced oxygen and blood flow around the time of birth. For term babies with moderate to severe HIE, cooling treatment started soon after birth is now the standard of care, according to a review published in Paediatrics and Child Health and indexed by the National Library of Medicine. This is why early recognition in the first hours matters.

Cerebral palsy is a group of disorders that affect movement, balance and posture. The CDC explains that it is caused by abnormal development of, or damage to, the developing brain, and that most cases are congenital, meaning the problem began before or during birth. It does not get worse over time, but needs change as a child grows. Many children with cerebral palsy have no known single cause, so a diagnosis alone does not show what happened.

Brachial plexus birth injury, including Erb's palsy, affects the nerves that run from the neck into the arm. Hospital for Special Surgery explains that it most often happens when a baby's shoulder is stuck during delivery, that it is not always Erb's palsy, and that many babies improve with therapy while some need more care. Other concerns include bleeding in the newborn brain, skull or collarbone fractures, and infections. The CDC notes that group B strep can cause serious infection in newborns, and that providers should screen pregnant women for it. Mothers can also be hurt, for example by heavy bleeding after birth. All of this is general medical information, not a statement about any hospital.

Warning signs in the first days, weeks and months

In the first days, parents and nurses watch for trouble feeding, unusual sleepiness or irritability, a weak cry, very floppy or very stiff muscles, seizures or jerking movements, breathing trouble, or a baby who does not move one arm. A baby who needed cooling treatment, breathing support or a long NICU stay deserves close follow-up with a pediatrician and, often, a neurologist.

In the following weeks and months, the CDC describes signs that can point to cerebral palsy. Under six months, they include head lag when the baby is lifted, a body that feels stiff or floppy, arching of the back and neck, and stiff or crossed legs. After six months, a baby may not roll over, may have trouble bringing hands together or to the mouth, or may reach with only one hand. After ten months, crawling may look lopsided. The CDC also says some babies without cerebral palsy show some of these signs, so a doctor should evaluate any concern.

If something worries you, write down what you see, with dates and short videos if you can, and tell your child's doctor. You know your baby best. Seeking an evaluation does not mean blaming anyone. It means getting your child the right help as early as possible.

Who may be responsible in a birth-injury claim?

After a birth injury, many people may have been involved in the care. They can include the nurses and other hospital staff who monitored labor, the obstetrician, a midwife, an anesthesiologist, a pediatrician or neonatologist who cared for the baby, and the medical group that employs or contracts with these professionals. Whether any of them is responsible depends on the facts and on expert review. Being involved in a delivery does not mean someone made a mistake.

It also matters who employs whom. Some doctors are employees of the hospital or of a medical group, and others are independent physicians who only use the hospital. That difference can affect who is named in a claim and how it is brought. Kaiser Permanente is an integrated system, and many members receive care from physicians in an affiliated medical group, so your membership documents and the records help show who was involved.

We do not assume that anyone did something wrong. A careful review looks at the whole record, the standard of care at the time and whether a different choice would likely have changed the outcome.

How an independent expert review of the delivery works

An independent review begins with the complete records. Doctors who practice in obstetrics, neonatology, pediatric neurology and, when needed, nursing read the chart. They look at the fetal heart monitoring strips, which record the baby's heart rate during labor, and at the notes about what staff saw and did and when.

They also look at the Apgar scores given at one and five minutes, umbilical cord blood gas results that show how the baby was doing at birth, the delivery notes, and the NICU records, including any cooling treatment, seizure monitoring and lab work. Brain MRI and later neurology reports help explain what kind of injury the baby has and when it may have happened.

The experts then answer two questions. Did the care meet accepted standards? And, if not, did it cause or worsen the child's injury? Sometimes the answer is no, and that can also bring families clarity. This review is a step toward understanding, and it does not commit you to any claim.

What families can do now, step by step

First, make sure your child has the medical and therapy care they need. Keep appointments and write down diagnoses, medicines and the names of specialists. Second, write down your own memory of labor and delivery while it is fresh: the times, what you were told, and your questions. Do not post details on social media.

Third, request the records. As a parent or guardian you can ask for your baby's records and your own, including the labor and delivery chart and the NICU chart. Ask specifically for the fetal monitoring strips, which are sometimes kept apart from the main chart. Fourth, keep bills, insurance letters and therapy notes together.

Fifth, ask about deadlines early. California has strict time limits for birth-injury claims, a required written notice before a medical malpractice lawsuit, and, for Kaiser members, a binding arbitration process. The verified legal sections below give the details. A free consultation with a lawyer can explain which rules apply to you.

Support for your child while a case is reviewed

Your child's care should not wait for any legal review. Early therapy can make a real difference. Physical, occupational and speech therapy, specialist visits, and equipment such as braces or special seating may all be part of a child's plan. Ask your pediatrician for referrals.

For children under three, California's Early Start program, run through regional centers, offers evaluation and services for infants with developmental delays or conditions that put development at risk. Families with low income or a child with a qualifying condition may also look into Medi-Cal and California Children's Services, which can help pay for some medical care. Eligibility depends on your situation, so ask the programs directly.

Many families also find it helpful to connect with parent support groups and family resource centers. You do not have to carry this alone, and none of these supports depends on whether a claim is ever filed.

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 Santa Clara

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.

Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center has a Release of Medical Information (ROMI) department that handles record requests. According to the hospital's own page, ROMI services are virtual, and requests can be made online 24 hours a day through the online ROMI request link on that page or through kp.org. Phone support is listed at 925-210-8834, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. A parent or guardian can request the baby's records and the mother's own records. Ask for the full labor and delivery chart, the NICU chart, and the fetal heart monitoring strips, and keep a copy of your request.

The hospital’s medical records page →

Where a case from Santa Clara would be filed

A birth-injury case in Santa Clara County that goes to court would usually be filed in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara, whose civil cases are handled at the Downtown Superior Court, 191 North First Street, San Jose, CA 95113. Check with the court clerk about the right courthouse for your case. Kaiser Permanente members' claims, however, usually go to binding arbitration instead of court, so whether your claim would be heard by an arbitrator depends on your membership and the agreement that applies to you.

Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara – Downtown Superior Court → — 191 North First Street, San Jose, CA 95113

Help for your child now: Early Start in Santa Clara County

In Santa Clara County, Early Start for babies and toddlers under age 3 is offered through San Andreas Regional Center, which the state Department of Developmental Services lists as serving Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey counties. A parent can ask for an evaluation if they worry about their baby's development, and a doctor can refer too. Use the Early Start section of the regional center's website to start, and say that you are asking for an Early Start evaluation. You do not need a legal claim, a final diagnosis or a doctor's certainty to ask.

San Andreas Regional Center →

Key facts

Questions parents ask

Other Santa Clara County hospitals we cover

Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital

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 Santa Clara 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.