Kaiser Foundation Hospital – South Sacramento (South Sacramento Medical Center) Birth Injury Lawyers

This page is for families who welcomed a baby at Kaiser Foundation Hospital – South Sacramento, which Kaiser Permanente calls South Sacramento Medical Center. The hospital is at 6600 Bruceville Road in Sacramento, California, in Sacramento County, and its main phone number is 916-688-2000. If your delivery was difficult, your baby needed special care afterward, or a doctor later told you about a diagnosis such as cerebral palsy, you may have questions that nobody has had time to answer. We wrote this page to help you understand what happened in general terms and what your options may be.

The hospital is a Kaiser Permanente hospital, operated as part of a non-profit corporation. According to the hospital's 2024 report to the state (HCAI), its newborn nursery cared for 2,306 babies that year. The same report lists 8 licensed intensive-care newborn beds and 195 NICU discharges in 2024. Those numbers describe the size of the unit and the community it serves. They say nothing about any one family's delivery, and nothing on this page says that anyone at the hospital did anything wrong.

Every birth is different, and many babies who have a hard start do well. But when a child is diagnosed with a lifelong condition, parents often want a clear, independent look at the records. Below you will find plain-language medical background from public health sources, the warning signs to watch for, how a review of a delivery works, how to ask for your records, and where early help is available for children under three. Nothing here is legal advice for your specific situation. It is a starting point so that you can decide what to do next, at your own pace.

Labor and delivery at Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento Medical Center

Kaiser Permanente's own website lists Labor and Delivery as a department at South Sacramento Medical Center, 6600 Bruceville Road, Sacramento, CA 95823, with a parent information line at 916-688-6667 (916-688-MOMS). Kaiser's maternity pages say the medical center serves members who live in South Sacramento and Elk Grove, and that prenatal care, with on-site labs, is available through the Obstetrics-Gynecology department at the medical center and at Kaiser medical offices in Elk Grove. Ultrasound appointments are also offered at the medical center.

The hospital also has a newborn intensive care unit, or NICU. According to the hospital's 2024 report to the state (HCAI), it has 8 licensed intensive-care newborn beds and had 195 NICU discharges in 2024, and its newborn nursery cared for 2,306 babies. A NICU is a special unit for babies who are born early, who have trouble breathing or feeding, who have an infection, or who need close monitoring in their first days. Being in a NICU does not by itself mean that anything went wrong. Many healthy-term and premature babies spend time there and go home well.

The hospital is operated by Kaiser Permanente, a non-profit health system. That matters for families in two practical ways. First, most Kaiser patients receive both their prenatal and delivery care from doctors and staff within the Kaiser system. Second, Kaiser members have a special process for resolving disputes about care, which we explain later on this page.

Birth injuries families ask about after a difficult delivery

A birth injury is harm to a baby (or to the mother) around the time of labor, delivery or the first hours after birth. Some injuries are unavoidable even with excellent care, and some happen because of conditions that began long before labor. The general medical facts below come from public health and medical sources. They are not statements about this or any hospital.

Oxygen deprivation and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). HIE is brain injury caused by too little oxygen and blood flow to the baby's brain. Doctors look at signs such as low Apgar scores, acidic cord blood, trouble breathing, seizures and poor muscle tone. Some babies with HIE are treated with cooling therapy in a NICU. Not every baby with HIE develops lasting problems, and not every case has a cause that can be traced to the delivery.

Cerebral palsy (CP). CP is a group of movement and posture disorders caused by damage to, or abnormal development of, a developing brain. The CDC explains that risk factors include premature birth, low birth weight, multiple births, certain infections during pregnancy, and events such as placental abruption or uterine rupture. In many children the exact cause is never found, and having a risk factor does not mean a child will have CP.

Erb's palsy and brachial plexus injuries. The brachial plexus is the network of nerves that controls the shoulder, arm and hand. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) explains that it can be stretched during a delivery in which the baby's shoulder is hard to deliver, called shoulder dystocia, and rarely during a cesarean birth. A baby may hold one arm limp or bent. Many babies recover over months, while nerve tears can cause lasting weakness.

Other injuries families ask about include bleeding in the newborn brain, skull fractures, a broken collarbone, newborn infections such as group B strep (GBS), and injuries to the mother such as heavy bleeding (postpartum hemorrhage). The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends routine GBS screening late in pregnancy and antibiotics during labor for women who test positive, because early-onset GBS can make a newborn seriously ill within the first day or two of life.

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

Some signs are obvious right away, such as a baby who does not cry, has trouble breathing, or needs to be moved to the NICU. Others show up quietly. In the first days, watch for seizures or jerking movements, a limp or floppy body, one arm that does not move, poor feeding, a weak or unusual cry, unusual sleepiness, a fever or a low temperature, or yellow skin that keeps getting worse. For infections such as GBS, fever, feeding problems, irritability, lethargy and trouble breathing are among the signs that can point to infection in a newborn. If you see any of these, call your child's doctor or seek emergency care right away.

In the first weeks and months, the signs are often about development. Parents sometimes notice that a baby is very stiff or very floppy, favors one side of the body, has trouble sucking or swallowing, does not follow faces or sounds, or is not rolling over, reaching or holding the head up when other babies of the same age are. Mayo Clinic notes that cerebral palsy is often not diagnosed until a child is months or even a couple of years old, because the signs become clearer as the child grows.

If you have a worry, trust it and say it out loud to your pediatrician. Ask for it to be written in the chart. Ask about a developmental screening, a referral to a specialist, and an evaluation through Early Start if your child is under three. Early therapy can make a real difference, and asking for a review does not commit you to anything.

Who may be responsible in a birth injury claim

After a birth injury, families often ask who a claim could involve. The answer depends on the facts and on how the people who cared for the mother and baby were employed. In general, a claim may involve one or more of the following: obstetricians, midwives, nurses and other hospital staff, anesthesia providers, neonatologists and pediatricians, and the medical group or hospital that employs or contracts with them. The word may matters here. Many births have no one at fault, and a claim requires proof, usually through expert opinion.

One of the most common questions is what happens if the delivering doctor was not a hospital employee. Some physicians are employed by a hospital or medical group. Others are independent and have privileges at a hospital but work for themselves or for a separate practice. Within Kaiser Permanente, care is generally delivered by a group of physicians and the hospital working together as one system, but who exactly employed whom is a factual question that a lawyer will confirm from the records and other documents.

Because several people and organizations may be involved, it is important not to guess. A careful review looks at each person's role, what they knew, when they knew it, and what the records show. That is why obtaining the complete chart early is so useful.

How an independent expert review of a delivery works

An independent expert review means that qualified medical professionals who are not connected to the hospital read the records and give their opinion on what happened. In a birth-injury case this often involves an obstetrician, a neonatologist, a nurse with labor and delivery experience, and sometimes a pediatric neurologist or radiologist. They are asked a plain question: was the care consistent with accepted standards, and did anything in the care cause the injury?

The experts usually start with the fetal heart monitoring strips, which record the baby's heart rate and the mother's contractions during labor. They also look at the Apgar scores given at one and five minutes after birth, cord blood gas results that show the baby's oxygen and acid levels at delivery, the timing of decisions such as a cesarean, the NICU notes, lab results, and any brain imaging such as an MRI or head ultrasound. Timing is often important, because the order of events can tell the story.

The review can also show that the outcome was not caused by the care, for example when a condition started before labor. An honest review gives you an answer either way. It helps you decide whether to move forward, and it is usually done before any claim is made.

What to do now after a birth injury: step by step

Step 1: Take care of your child's health first. Keep all appointments, follow specialists' advice, and write down diagnoses, medicines and names of providers. Step 2: Request the complete records for both mother and baby, including the labor chart, fetal monitoring strips, delivery summary, anesthesia record, newborn nursery and NICU records, and any imaging. Ask for the electronic fetal monitoring tracing in particular, because it is sometimes stored separately from the main chart.

Step 3: Write your own timeline while it is fresh: dates, times, what you were told, and who said it. Keep photos, discharge papers, bills and messages in one folder. Step 4: Be careful what you sign or post. Do not sign releases unless you understand them, and avoid discussing the details on social media. Step 5: Talk with a lawyer early. Birth-injury cases have strict deadlines, and some are much shorter than families expect, especially for public hospitals and for parents' own claims. A child's case has its own longer deadline, but waiting still makes records harder to gather.

Step 6: Ask about how a Kaiser member's claim would be handled. Kaiser members usually agree to binding arbitration rather than a jury trial, so it is worth having someone review your membership documents. Talking with us does not cost you anything, and we will tell you honestly whether we think a claim is worth pursuing.

Support while a case is reviewed: Early Start, therapies, Medi-Cal and CCS

Your child does not have to wait for a legal review to get help. In California, Early Start is the program for babies and toddlers under three who have a developmental delay or a condition that may cause one. In Sacramento County it is coordinated through the Alta California Regional Center, which is part of the state's Department of Developmental Services system. An evaluation is free to families.

Therapy is often the heart of treatment: physical therapy for movement and strength, occupational therapy for hand skills and daily activities, and speech and feeding therapy. Children with a qualifying condition may be able to receive services through California Children's Services (CCS) and Medi-Cal, depending on family circumstances and medical need. A social worker at your child's hospital or clinic can help you find out what you qualify for.

We cannot promise any result from a claim, and a case can take a long time. That is why it is wise to line up these services now, and to keep copies of every evaluation and therapy report. Those documents can also help show what your child needs over the years.

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 South Sacramento

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's page for South Sacramento Medical Center says that its Release of Medical Information department is virtual and that all requests for copies of medical records should be made online at kp.org/requestrecords; the department's listed hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and its listing is under the hospital address, 6600 Bruceville Road, Sacramento, CA 95823. Because a baby has a chart of its own and the mother has hers, ask for both, and be sure to include the labor chart, the fetal monitoring strips, the delivery and anesthesia records, and the newborn nursery and NICU notes. A parent or legal guardian will need to show that relationship when asking for a child's records.

The hospital’s medical records page →

Where a case from Sacramento would be filed

A birth-injury case from Sacramento County that is filed in court would usually go to the Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento, which lists its civil filings at the Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye Sacramento County Courthouse, 500 G Street, Sacramento, CA 95814 (www.saccourt.ca.gov); court locations can change, so it is wise to confirm with the court before anything is filed. For families who delivered at this Kaiser hospital as Kaiser members, however, a claim usually goes to binding arbitration instead of court, decided by an arbitrator rather than a jury, so reviewing your membership documents early is important.

Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento – Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye Sacramento County Courthouse → — 500 G Street, Sacramento, CA 95814

Help for your child now: Early Start in Sacramento County

Early Start is California's early intervention program for babies and toddlers under three who have a developmental delay or a condition that may lead to one, and families in Sacramento County are served through the Alta California Regional Center, 4151 E Commerce Way, Suite 100, Sacramento, CA 95834 (www.altaregional.org). To ask for an evaluation, call the regional center's Early Start intake line at 916-978-6400 or email IntakeReferrals@altaregional.org, say that you are worried about your baby's development, and mention any diagnosis. Anyone can refer a child, including a parent or a doctor, and you do not need a lawyer or a court case to ask.

Alta California Regional Center →

Key facts

Questions parents ask

Other Sacramento County hospitals we cover

Sutter Medical Center

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 Foundation Hospital – South Sacramento (South Sacramento Medical Center) or Kaiser Permanente. 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.